In October 1848, the Underground Railroad through Delaware was as busy as ever. Reports of numerous "stampedes" indicated that upwards of 100 freedom seekers may have escaped from Maryland, through Delaware, in their pursuit of freedom during the span of a few weeks. A Wilmington, Delaware paper noted the escape of 16 freedom seekers (eight from Maryland, and eight from Kent county, Delaware), who crossed the Wilmington bridge to Delaware. Another group of four left Sassafras, Maryland, and yet another escape occurred when an African American man traveled to Sassafras, "to get off his wife and family," but was betrayed by a brother-in-law and ultimately saw his wife and children recaptured. Still, four more people ran away from the same slaveholder.