The recent discussion on Virginia out-migration has focused entirely on how many Virginia slaves were sold at auction to deep-south plantations. One estimate now has the number up to 800,000 poor souls.

Left out of this discussion is out-migration in general. White families with only a few slaves moving west. Particularly after the War of 1812 to places like Missouri and Arkansas--by the thousands. I think if one is going to do statistical analysis of migration, one should not focus solely on the figures of Virginia's population changes and then make assumptions. One should take into consideration the huge increase of populations of new slave states like Missouri and Arkansas, and perhaps then draw more solid conclusions.

I also have to take exception to the term "forced migration" of those slaves who went with the thousands of small slave-holding white families westward. This was not the Batan death march. These family units lived and worked together and, I would hazard, talked about the move, its pros and cons, before just taking a whip to their few slaves and ordering them to get a move on. 

I fully understand that many modern historians make a good living reminding us of the evils of slavery, but sometimes I wish they would take a look at the broader picture of humanity in general, and go beyond the borders of the Old Dominion in doing so.

Craig Kilby
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