After the July 7th uprising, slaveholders were terrified and desired to have a special militia created to suppress any uprisings, capture runaways, and keep the slaves within their proper limits. In Charles County the slaveholding men of Port Tobacco met and resolved to form and fund a people’s police to patrol each district. This special police force was to disperse all meetings of Negroes and punish those without a pass. The men also agreed to stop renting land and homes to freed men of color. In St. Mary’s County a Committee of Vigilance was formed, with ten people in each election district assigned to watch any travel of African Americans within the county.