George B. Cosby to Crump, July 28, 1861

Colonel Crump, Commanding, Gloucester Point, Va.:

Sir: General Magruder directs that you will make a call upon the citizens of Gloucester, Middlesex, and Matthews Counties for one-half of their male force of slaves, to finish the works around Gloucester Point. They will be allowed fifty cents a day and a ration for each negro man during the time he is at work. You will send out agents to collect and bring in these negroes, and detail some one to take down the names of the slaves, of their owners, and the date of their arrival, and to give a certificate of the number of days they have worked. The free negroes will be impressed, if they refuse to come, and a force will be sent to bring them in.

The general directs that the work be made, if possible, impregnable, which he thinks can be done by deepening the ditches and thickening the parapets and putting up traverses. Six hundred negroes could effect this in ten days, or perhaps in five. Nearly eight hundred hands have been procured here in a very short time.

You will consult with Captain Page and Captain Meade in regard to the best method of strengthening the lines and batteries at Gloucester.

You will enforce, if it should be necessary, the above call, though it is hoped it willnot be. I inelose the call.

respectfully,