Chicago (IL) Tribune, "Stampede of Slaves and a Battle," November 11, 1858

   Stampede of Slaves and a Battle

   Ten slaves, three women, two children, and five men, ran away from Pruyntown, Va., a few nights ago, taking with them seven other chattels in the shape of horses. They left the horses after the night ride and steered for the North Star on foot. They were followed and overtaken in Fayette county, Pa., where a desperate fight for freedom on the part of the negroes, and slavery on the part of the whites, took place. The slave catchers were beaten back, and the fugitives from slavery made their escape. Col. Armstrong, one of the owners, in attempting to capture of one of the slaves was resisted with a corn cleaver, and would have been killed but for the interference of one of his own servants, who stepped in to protect his master. Another of the pursuing party was fiercely resisted, and badly injured in the melee. The Wheeling Intelligencer states that on the return of the discomfited slave hunters, a party of about twenty-five persons from Morgantown started in pursuit of the negroes, but nothing additional had been heard at last accounts from either the pursuing or the pursued.