I came across the great slave auction that happened on this day in 1859. The year got me thinking if any slave owners saw trouble in the winds and sold off their slaves at the outset of war or if perhaps as reports of the war looking more dire caused slave owners to consider it. If so, did slave prices drop substantially in the last months of the war? Did any states enact laws to discourage this or set prices?
Sorry if this has been asked before. I tried searching and found a couple scant threads with no replies.
Although I can't answer every part of your question, I'll do my best.
In general, no, I haven't read of any slave owners selling off their slaves for fear of losing them. What happened in most cases, especially as the war dragged on, was that the slaves just up and left for Union lines. There are reports of slave owners coming to an understanding that the institution was doomed, but at that point, no one would have been left to buy the slaves from them.
I hope this helps!