July 7 1862, Wrote Gen. Halleck, “I commenced gathering contrabands last Saturday to work on fortifications.  They are now at work.  On account of the limited force here we are only fortifying the south end of the city to protect stores and our own troops.  Col. Webster has been too unwell to push this matter and I have no other engineer.

“Secessionists here have news from Richmond by the South which makes them jubilant.  I would like to hear the truth.”

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 5, p 199

O.R., I, xvii, part 2, 82