True, there were a thousand men in arms in Southampton County, to inspiresecurity. But the blow had been struck by only seven men before; andunless there were an armed guard in every home, who could tell but anyhouse might at any moment be the scene of recent horrors? They might kill orimprison negroes by day, but could they resist their avengers by evening?"The half cannot be told," wrote a lady from another part of Virginia, atthis time, "of the distresses of the people. In Southampton County, thescene of the insurrection, the distress beggars description. A gentlemanwho has been there says that even here, where there has been great alarm,we have no idea of the situation of those in that county.... I do nothesitate to believe that many negroes around us would join in a massacreas horrible as that which has taken place, if an opportunity shouldoffer."