Egad... I'm going to have to run a squeegee over my brain now! Cranky sisters...?
That wasn't a motive, think we can all agree there! Money was. Just before the war, Forrest was able to sell a prime field hand for 2500 in Mississippi, after buying him for 250 in Virginia. After the war started, the price doubled - huge money in slaves, lots of speculators working overtime. During the war, John Hunt Morgan's men sold at least one fellow for 5000 - which certainly helped the collective wallet. As Forrest's little adventure with the marshal shows, a person's status wasn't always checked on and that was before Sherman burned down the courthouse with your freedom papers in it. So, an enterprising soldier could kidnap a free black and sell them without questions being asked and, since the courts were in disarray, it would be a while for the individual to make his/her case. A lady diarist in Gettysburg said most of the black people fled, and those who had to stay behind for one reason or another suddenly became cripples. There was just an epidemic among them...unmarket-ability!