Our database contains over 1,000 newspaper articles that specifically label a group escape as a "slave stampede" or some related variant, such as "negro stampede." Our document records also include hundreds of other types of primary sources and newspaper articles related to these stampedes but that do not contain the word itself. The map below provides a sample visualization of the newspaper coverage between 1856 and 1860 with clickable access to the various records inside our database. The detailed listing underneath includes records for all of the documents from the period 1847 to 1865, containing both transcripts and original images.

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Article

   On Saturday night last, there was a negro stampede from the neighborhood of Lovettesville, in this county, in which about fifteen slaves left for parts unknown. Among the sufferers by this flight, is Col. R.L. Wright, Col. Waltman, Mr. Wenner, and others whose names we did not learn. 

Article

   SLAVE STAMPEDE.––There was another slave stampede in Dorchester County, Md., last week. One belonging to Dr. Tubman, three to Mrs. Dixon, and two to R.L. Phillips, left for parts unknown. [Balt. Sun.

Article

   Slave Stampede.––On Saturday night last three valuable negro men belonging to Mr. John Cunningham, and one belonging to Mr. D.R. McNeil, residing near Moorefield, Va., ran away. They left in company for Pennsylvania.––Richmond Enquirer. 

Article

   There was another slave stampede, in Dorchester county, Md., last week. One belonging to Dr. Tubman, three to Mrs. Dixon, and two to R.E. Phillips, left for parts unknown. 

Article

...a stampede among the negroes in the neighboring counties of Virginia during the past fort-night. Two of them were apprehended in this vicinity, and lodged in the jail at this place.––They have been returned to their masters. 

Article

   Negrophobia in Greene County, 

                 Ohio.

 The Torch Light, a strong republican paper of Xenia, Greene county, Ohio, in its issue of July 28, has a leader on what the Editor is placed to term Negrophobia, a disease that has lately made its appearance in that region. That our readers may have some idea of the cause of the disease, which it seems is now affecting all classes of the white community of one of our populous counties, we will transcribe from the Torch Light:

Article

   SLAVE STAMPEDE.––Four slave men, two belonging to Joseph C. Pancake, Esq., and two to Mr. Michael Miller, escaped from the South Branch, in Hampshire county Va., on Saturday night last, taking with them four horses, the property of Mr. Pancake. Parties are in pursuit of them. The horses were found in a field near Cresaptown, Md.

Article

   SLAVE STAMPEDE.––On the 14th instant, six negroes absconded from their masters living in Barbour county, Va. Three from Mr. Corder, two from Mr. Isaac Woodford, and one from Mr. Hite. Four of Mr. Reynolds' slaves absconded from Taylor county at the same time––making ten runaway negroes in one stampede.––Balt. Clip. 

Article

     Sam Greene and Uncle Tom's Cabin

Article

   A Slave Stampede.

   The Annapolis Republican says, Ten valuable slaves belonging to Col. G.W. Hughes, of West river in this county, left his farm in a body on Tuesday morning last. At Queen Annes, about twenty miles from Col. Hughes's, two of them, who went there to get something to eat, were captured by Mr. Thomas E. Alvey and Mr. Richard H. Herwood. The rest of the negroes, who were a short distance off, waiting their return, suspecting from their long absence that they had been arrested, started in pursuit, and coming upon them at once with a bold rush, released their two comrades. A desperate fight occurred, and two of the negro men were, we learn, dangerously wounded, and left upon the field of battle. This seemed to frighten and deter the negroes, because they as speedily as possible returned home to their master. The two wounded were sent for and properly cared for. 

Article

   THE NEW AMERICAN CRUSADE AGAINST FREE NEGROES.

Article

   The Slave owners in Maryland have become thoroughly alarmed at the frequent stampedes of their slaves, and the consequent insecurity of that species of property. They are holding conventions, especially in the border counties, to devise measures to remedy that evil. The Baltimore American says that something more than speaking and resolving will have to be done, or the insecurity of slave property will result in the extinguishment of slavery in the State. It attributes the present condition of affairs to the regular system adopted by Northern Abolitionists, who seem to have perfected the underground road, and to the presence of free negroes in the State. The latter is a very undesirable element in the State, and is increasing daily; we should not be surprised if, within two years, compulsory legislation should be resorted to exile free negroes from the State.

Article

                   Slave Stampedes.

Article

   SLAVE STAMPEDES IN MARYLAND.––The Baltimore American says that in looking over its Maryland exchanges, it has been struck by the number of advertisements of runaway slaves. On the border counties, especially, this species of property is becoming a very unsafe investment. The owners of slaves, are beginning to arouse themselves to the necessity of instituting some effectual means of protection from such great and frequently recurring losses, which annually amount throughout the State to sums that would scarcely be credited.

Article

   The Slave owners in Maryland have become thoroughly alarmed at the frequent stampedes of their slaves, and the consequent insecurity of that species of property. They are holding conventions, especially in the border counties, to devise measures to remedy that evil. The Baltimore American says that something more than speaking and resolving will have to be done, or the insecurity of slave property will result in the extinguishment of slavery in the State. It attributes the present condition of affairs to the regular system adopted by Northern Abolitionists, who seem to have perfected the underground road, and to the presence of free negroes in the State. The latter is a very undesirable element in the State, and is increasing daily; we should not be surprised if, within two years, compulsory legislation should be resorted to exile free negroes from the State.

Article

 Slave Stampedes in Maryland.

Article

   STAMPEDE OF TWO OF SENATOR DOUGLAS' SLAVES.––The Yazoo (Miss.) Banner contains an advertisement stating that two of Senator Douglas' slaves were confined in the Yazoo county jail. They had run away from the plantation of Mr. Douglas, in Washington county, Miss.

Article

    The Maryland Slave Holder's Meeting.

   Human chattels have become so prone to take to their legs and run away in portions of Maryland that the owners recently held a meeting at Snow Hill to devise means to stop the disposition to emigrate. They did not resolve to free their slaves and to pay them suitable wages for their labor like sensible men, but they did resolve to make the life of the slave more irksome than ever, by depriving him of his corn patch, not permitting him to leave home without pass, and not suffering him to choose his master when hired out. They also resolved in favor of the enactment of still more stringent laws by the State of Maryland and by Congress touching fugitives from service, and the payment of $100 for every white man, and $50 for every free negro, detected and convicted of tampering with slaves. The effect of this cruel policy will be to make stampedes still more frequent. 

Article

              Slave Stampedes.

Article

              The Stampede.

   We made mention in our last, says the Charlestown Free Press, of the stampede of seven negroes from our county,––and of their arrest near Chambersburg, Pa. They were lodged in our jail, on Thursday evening last, at a cost of more than $2000 to their owners. On Friday, three negroes the property of Mr. Armisted Carter, of Fauquier, were arrested at Rippon, in this county, and confined in the jail until secured to their master. 

   The sale on Monday of the negroes arrested from this county, with two or three others, attracted quite a number of purchasers from abroad. 

Article

           From the Pittsburgh Dispatch.

   SLAVERY VS. THE POST OFFICE.

   The Slaveholders of Worcester county, Md., at a recent meeting, recommended, among other expedients to check the stampede of slaves to Free States, that authority be given to postmasters to open all letters directed to free negroes or slaves, and whenever any thing suspicious is found in them, to place them in the hands of the proper authorities. 

Article

   Another Slave Stampede.––On Saturday week, six slaves, valued at $7,500, ran away from the vicinity of Parkersburg, and at last accounts had not been captured. The News says they were probably enabled to escape by "free negroes, who are fast getting to be an intolerable nuisance." 

Article

   A STAMPEDE.––Seven slaves, valued at $7,500, escaped from Wood county, Va., last week. 

Article

   Stampede of Slaves and a Battle

Article

   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 chattles in the shape of horses. They left the horses after the night's 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 badly beaten, and the fugitives from slavery made their escape. Col. Armstrong, one of the owners, in attempting to capture 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.

Article

   PERSONAL.––Dr. C.E. Miner, of this city, who has been East for several weeks, returned last Saturday evening. The Doctor has been as far east as Massachusetts––visiting, en route, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Trenton, New York, Albany, &c. He went mainly on business connected with the University of this city, and was, happily, entirely successful in his mission. The Doctor reports money to be plenty in the cities, but about as scarce in the country, generally, as in Kansas. He thinks there will be a very heavy emigration in the spring. 

   The Doctor observes to us that there is a perfect stampede of slaves from Western Missouri, their masters selling them off South, or removing with them to that section. The ingress of free laborers from the North is driving out the aristocrats, with their human chattels. Let the good work go on. 

Article

   STAMPEDE––Ten negroes, three women, two children and five men, ran away from Morgantown, Va., on the night of the 31st, taking with them seven horses. Their owners pursued them and overtook them in Fayette county Pa., but were driven back, one of the pursuers being badly injured. 

Article

   ANOTHER VIRGINIA STAMPEDE.––A few days since, six slaves ran away from the vicinity of Parkersburg, Virginia. Their anxious masters who value their lost chattels at $7,500, though making diligent search, have heard nothing of them. They charge their loss upon the interference of free negroes, who are represented as an intolerable nuisance. The slaves, on the other hand, seem to think Virginia white men an intolerable nuisance, and have therefore put the greatest possible distance between themselves and this nuisance. They are wise, if they are black. 

Article

   NEGRO STAMPEDE.––On Saturday night last, five negroes ran away from Fairmont, and made for Pennsylvania. One belonged to Jas. O. Watson, Esq. one to Mr. Burns or Barnes, and we have not learned to whom the other three belonged. The owners were in town on Sunday, in hot pursuit. The negroes took a fine horse of Mr. Watson's. ––Star. 

Article

   Our "Mountain county" exchanges bring us frequent reports of stampedes among the negro population, and sometimes affect desperate wrath; we recollect when such occurrences were frequent hereabouts, and whenever they happened, there would be considerable fuming, fretting, and some swearing among the victims of misplaced confidence in negro flesh; but gradually it would wear off, and they become reconciled to their losses. So it will have to be in the border counties. Although the Panhandle is almost stripped of its slave property, we cannot say that the general wealth is any less than it ever was, or that the people live less contentedly, or get rich any slower than they did when every family, almost sported its darkey or darkies. The fact is, we have become reconciled to our privation, and are rather disposed to congratulate ourselves, as upon a happy riddance.

Article

   NEGRO STAMPEDES.--What is called the Panhandle of Virginia, consisting of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio and Marshall Counties, twenty years ago, had one thousand slaves. There are now in Hancock County none, 18 in Brooke, about 100 in Ohio County, nominally, and 20 in Marshall, being less than 140 in the four counties. The balance have run away or been set free, and those that remain, being mostly burthens on their masters. The Wellsburgh, Va., Herald, in noticing these stampedes, and the prevailing disposition among the slaves to leave their masters, without permission, says:--

Letter

Lawrence. Jan. 30. 1859
Dear Brother Willie-

Article

   FOR THE JEFFERSONIAN.

   Eastern Virginia.

   Centreville, Fairfax County, Va.,

           January 24th, 1859.

   MR. EDITOR:––It is some fifteen years since I pulled up stakes in the Empire State, and passed through your pretty village, on my way to Virginia. And on this occasion, having parted with many kind friends and connections, many of whom, I suppose, still live in Stroudsburg and vicinity, and who no doubt would be pleased to hear of this Country, I will give them a birds eye view; and perhaps at some future period, may still further enlighten them.

Article

   NEGRO STEALING ON THE BORDER.--The Abolitionists of Kansas have got their Underground Railroad completed, equipped, and in running order, and they are now tasking it to the work of transporting negroes from the Hemp and Tobacco fields of Missouri to regions where they wallow in the luxuries of an unintelligible and unappreciated liberty. Under its brisk operation, the rich slave holding counties of Platte, Jackson and Lafayette are likely soon to be considerably thinned of negroes, some of whom will be stolen by the Underground conductors, while others will be sent to Texas and other Southern States to avoid that contingency. 

Article

         Missouri and Slavery.

[From the St. Louis Cent. Christian Advocate, Feb. 2d.]

   One of the most striking and significant facts connected with Missouri is the change that is constantly going on as it regards the relative portion of the white and colored population in reference to numbers and social position. Scarcely a week passes without witnessing the emigration of hundreds of slaves to the South. Various and numerous are the causes for this unprecedented movement. We can only enumerate a few of the principal elements involved. 

Article

Lawrence K.T. Feb 14 59
My dear friend,
Yours of Jan 27th & that of Feb 2 enclosing $10 are recd. & with much thankfulness-

Article

    From the Weston (Missouri), Argus, Jan. 26th.

 THIRTEEN NEGROES CAPTURED IN KANSAS. 

  Men, Women and Children, belonging to citizens in Platte, Clay, St. Clair and Jackson Counties, Mo., in the charge of two Underground Railroad Agents, from Lawrence to Iowa!––Dr. Doy and Son!

   The most gallant achievement and effective vindication of our rights ever since the war upon slave property has been inaugurated, it is our pleasing duty to chronicle, which we do through an Extra, in order that the country may have all the facts just as they are, before the howling misrepresentations of the abolitionists may poison the Northern atmosphere. 

Article

   The St. Louis News speaking of the escape of slaves from Missouri into Kansas, says: We know from information received from private sources, that the slaveholders on the border are beginning to suffer severely from the constantly occurring stampede of slaves. They are enticed in gangs of dozens and scores, by sympathizers, into Kansas, kept concealed in that territory for a time, and then sent toward Canada, through Iowa. The News intimates that this is done by the free State men of Kansas, to wipe out old scores. 

Article

  DECREASE OF SLAVES IN MISSOURI.––A late number of the St. Louis Christian Advocate, in referring to the change that is constantly going on in Missouri as regards the relative proportion between the white and colored population, says that scarcely a week passes away without witnessing the emigration of hundreds of slaves to the South. 

   One of the causes set down for this emigration, or driving, rather, of slaves to the South, is a general conviction that white labor is more profitable in Missouri than slave labor. 

   Another cause mentioned by the Advocate, for the decrease of slaves, is the insecurity of that species of property. The stampedes of slaves are of frequently occurrence. The St. Louis papers are filled with advertisements of runaway slaves, with accompanying rewards for their recovery.

Letter

Lawrence K.T. Feb 24 ’59
Dear Friend

Article

   STAMPEDE OF SLAVES.––It is said that some 23 slaves passed through Waynesburg, a few days since, en route for Canada, and were hotly pursued, but contrived to make good their escape. A number more were piloted over the underground railroad some days before, in the same county.–– Wash. Tribune. 

Article

   Our "Mountain county" exchanges bring us frequent reports of stampedes among the negro population, and sometimes affect desperate wrath; we recollect when such occurrences were frequent hereabouts, and whenever they happened, there would be considerable fuming, fretting, and some swearing among the victims of misplaced confidence in negro flesh; but gradually it would wear off, and they become reconciled to their losses. So it will have to be in the border counties. Although the Panhandle is almost stripped of its slave property, we cannot say that the general wealth is any less than it ever was, or that the people live less contentedly, or get rich any slower than they did when every family, almost sported its darkey or darkies. The fact is, we have become reconciled to our privation, and are rather disposed to congratulate ourselves, as upon a happy riddance.

Letter

Lawrence K.T. March 22 59 F. B. Sanborn Esq
Dear Sir


Yours of the 11 enclosing draft for $50 is recd. It comes very opportunely & that it comes from our highly esteemed friend Mrs Green makes it peculiarly gratifying. Day before yesterday we (ie about half a dozen who have had the management of the Doy expedition) were almost in despair for the want of funds to meet the pressing emergency for his defence. His trial is to come off at St Joseph tomorrow & it was necessary to send 6 witnesses over by which an alibi can be found & some other facts bearing on the case. We had contracted debts in the preparation for the trial that was appointed for some 4 weeks since at Platte City & $160 & over was needed immediately. Three of us took each a subscription paper & worked-

Article

                                 A CHAPTER ON SLANG. 

AN English writer has given some instances in a recent work of that remarkable proclivity to slang which distinguishes the Anglo-Saxon race. He declares that it flourishes most in America and Australia, and gives some curious instances of the former in this passage:

Article

   EXCITEMENT IN HARRISBURG

STAMPEDE OF ALLEGED FUGITIVE SLAVES

                        Harrisburg, April 5, 1859.

   The excitement among the colored population here in regard to the result of the case of Daniel Webster, now pending in Philadelphia, is intense, and the papers containing the proceedings are in great demand. 

   A rumor prevails this morning, and has been extensively circulated, that eight alleged fugitive slaves took their departure last night for Canada. This report only tends to increase the excitement. 

Article

        Great Stampede of Slaves.

    [From the Detroit Advertiser, 7th.]

   We learn from reliable authority that seventy five slaves arrived in Canada by one train, from the interior of Tennessee. This is probably the largest that ever escaped in one company. But a week before a company of twelve arrived and are now at the depot near Malden. Nearly the same time one of seven, and another of five, safely landed on the free soil of Canada, making ninety-four in all, worth at the present market price the handsome sum of $94,000! The Underground Railroad was never before doing so flourishing a business. At the rate these ungrateful fellows are stealing themselves, the market must be seriously affected, unless kept supplied direct from Africa.

Article

GREAT STAMPEDE OF SLAVES.––We learn from reliable authority that seventy five slaves arrived in Canada by one train from the interior of Tennessee. This is probably the largest that ever escaped in one company. Nearly at the same time one of seven and another of five safely landed on the free soil of Canada, making ninety-four in all, worth at the present market price the handsome sum of $94,000! The Underground Railroad was never before doing so flourishing a business. At the rate these ungrateful fellows are stealing themselves, the market must be seriously affected, unless kept supplied direct from Africa. ––Detroit Advertiser, 7th. 

Article

   Great Stampede of Slaves.

   We learn from reliable authority that seventy five slaves arrived in Canada by one train, from the interior of Tennessee. This is probably the largest that ever escaped in one company. But a week before a company of twelve arrived and are now at the depot near Malden. Nearly the same time one of seven, and another of five, safely landed on the free soil of Canada, making ninety-four in all, worth at the present market price the handsome sum of $94,000! The Underground Railroad was never before doing so flourishing a business. At the rate these ungrateful fellows are stealing themselves, the market must be seriously affected, unless kept supplied direct from Africa. ––Detroit Advertiser. 

Article

   STAMPEDE OF SLAVES.--On Saturday night last, four negro men, respectively the property of Maj. Henry Nichols, Wesley Barrett, I.N. Lair and Wm. Brannock, all residing in this vicinity, "made a break" for Ohio. The boys belonging to Messrs. Barrett and Brannock, succeeded just before daybreak Sunday morning, in crossing the Ohio at Augusta. The other two were not so lucky. Day dawned upon them some four miles this side of Augusta, causing their discovery and arrest. They state that this movement has been contemplated for some length of time; that they had arranged to meet at the house of Bill Leander, (f.m.c., living several miles below town,) at a certain hour on Sunday night, when all four were to have started together. Barrett's and Brannock's boys waited at Leander's until the appointed hour, and then started.