the Federal authority again, the Southern cause would be deprived of a large amount of its prestige and strength.  The authorities of the Gulf States accordingly hurried forward to Richmond all available troops; and from all parts of Virginia the volunteer regiments, which had sprung up like magic, were in like manner forwarded by railway to the capital.  Every train brought additions to this great mass of raw war material; large camps rose around Richmond, chief among which was that named “Camp Lee;” and the work of drilling and moulding this crude material for the great work before it was ardently proceeded with under the supervision of Lee.

An Executive Board, or Military Council, had been formed, consisting of Governor Letcher and other prominent officials; but these gentlemen had the good sense to intrust the main work of organizing an army to Lee.  As yet the great question at Richmond was to place Virginia in a state of defence—­to prepare that Commonwealth for the hour of trial, by enrolling her own people.  It will be remembered that Lee held no commission from the Confederate States; he was major-general of the Provisional Army of Virginia, and to place this Provisional Army in a condition to take the field was the first duty before him.  It was difficult, not from want of ardor in the population, but from the want of the commonest material necessary in time of war.  There were few arms, and but small supplies of ammunition.  While the Federal Government entered upon the war with the amplest resources, the South found herself almost entirely destitute of the munitions essential to her protection.  All was to be organized and put at once into operation—­the quartermaster, commissary, ordnance, and other departments.  Transportation, supplies of rations, arms, ammunition, all were to be collected immediately.  The material existed, or could be supplied, as the sequel clearly showed; but as yet there was almost nothing.  And it was chiefly to the work of organizing these departments, first of all, that General Lee and the Military Council addressed themselves with the utmost energy.

The result was, that the State found herself very soon in a condition to offer a determined resistance.  The troops at the various camps of instruction were successively sent to the field; others took their places, and the work of drilling the raw material into soldiers went on; supplies were collected, transportation found, workshops for the construction of arms and ammunition sprung up; small-arms, cannon, cartridges, fixed and other ammunition, were produced in quantities; and, in a time which now seems wholly inadequate for such a result, the Commonwealth of Virginia was ready to take the field against the Federal Government.

X.

THE WAR BEGINS.