The Weeping Time: largest slave auction in U.S. history at Savannah (1859)

The Weeping Time was a massive slave auction held at Ten Broeck Race Course near Savannah, Georgia, on March 2 and 3, 1859. Approximately 436 enslaved people from the estate of Pierce Mease Butler were sold over two days. The event was prompted by Butler's financial losses during the Panic of 1857 and remains historically significant as the largest single slave auction in U.S. history until 2022.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Pierce Mease Butler, an absentee plantation owner, faced severe financial difficulties due to risky business speculation during the Panic of 1857. To address these losses, he authorized the sale of approximately 436 enslaved men, women, children, and infants. The auction was advertised in Savannah newspapers by slave dealer Joseph Bryan, leveraging Savannah's status as a major center for slave trading.

Event Details. The auction took place at Ten Broeck Race Course, located near Savannah, Georgia. The sale occurred over two days, March 2 and 3, 1859. It was considered the largest single sale of slaves in U.S. history until the 2022 discovery of a larger auction in Charleston. The event netted Butler more than $300,000, equivalent to approximately $10.75 million in 2025.

Aftermath. Following the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, some formerly enslaved people returned to Butler Island to work for wages or purchased land in the area. The event is commemorated by a historical marker titled 'Largest Slave Sale in Georgia History: The Weeping Time.'

People involved

Sources

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