St. Louis (MO) Daily Missouri Democrat, "The Negro Exodus," August 21, 1863

                                    The Negro Exodus.

Still they come. Yesterday morning two boat loads of negroes landed near the mouth of Three Mile creek. About fifty of their brethren from this side were on hand, to greet and welcome the new-comers. We understand that a number of the new arrivals propose to place themselves under the fostering care of Uncle Samuel at $10 per month and a good suit of clothes. – Lawrenceville Conservative, 18th,

            “SLAVE IN THE PROMISED LAND.” – From a gentleman who came up from the Wyandotte yesterday, we learn that about one hundred negroes have come over in the past few days. One large, fine-looking chap, being closely pursued to the river bank by his late master, plunge into the stream and swam over in double-quick time, although burdened down with a heavy overcoat. Reaching this bank, he rushed in breathless haste to the recruiting office, and presented himself for service. He seemed in great fear that his master might possible arrive before the bargain was closed with Uncle Sam. When he was sworn in, he said: “Now, jis let ‘em cum; they can’t git me; give me a gun; I want to go and kill rebels.” His mind was perfectly easy as soon as he had enlisted. – Lawrenceville Conservative, 18th,

            THE EXODUS. — Some thirty or forty negroes let Clay county yesterday for Kansas, taking with them a quantity of stock. This thing has become so common that well informed gentleman tells us, that the heaviest slaveholders of that county are seriously discussing the project of sending all of their slaves to Kansas at once. They say that if the present state of affairs continues, they will lose not only their slaves, but much callable stock also.

            The Emancipation Ordinance has made a perfect stampede among the negroes who cannot draw nice distinctions, and who imagine that they will all come within the forty-year-old class. In Platte county the negroes are leaving at the rate of thirty or forty a day, and only a few hundred remain. The same process is going on all along the border, and Missouri will soon be rid of her slaves, in fact, if not in name. The barriers which fence in the slave systems in this State are crumbling daily, and while our politicians are talking the negro is quietly acting without any reference to statue books or ordinance. – Kansas City Journal, 15th