battalion of infantry. This, drilled and equipped from his own
shops, Major Tanner led in person, when raids or other straits made
their soldiering paramount to other occupation. And--even when greatest
scarcity of provisions came--the agents of "the Works" proceeded with
those of the commissary of the Confederacy, _pari passu_.

An odd incident, coming to mind just here, will point the general
estimate of the importance of the Tredegar Works. A special train was
crossing the bridge, en route for Petersburg, at a time when
transportation was rare. A huge negro, blacker than the soot upon his
face, sat placidly on the platform of the rear car.

"What are you doing here?" was asked by the officer in charge.

"Rid'n' t' Petesbug," was the placid reply.

"Have you paid your fare?"

"Don' got nun t' pay, boss. Rides onner pass, I does!"

"Work for the government?"--this rather impatiently.

Ebo rolled his eyes, with expression of deep disgust, as he responded,
grandly:

"No--_sah!_ Fur t'uther consarn!"

CHAPTER XII.

SETTLING TO THE REAL WORK.

Notwithstanding the haste of removal from Montgomery, the vast amount
of work to be reduced to regular order, and the apparent confusion of
the executive departments, affairs rapidly shaped themselves into
working form soon after the arrival in Richmond.

That city, as the terminus of railway travel from the South and West,
was naturally the rendezvous for all troops coming from the various
quarters of the Confederacy; and, at the date of the change of
government, some fifteen thousand were already collected in the camps
about the town. These comprised levies from every section of the ten
states that had adhered to the southern government--regulars,
volunteers and militia and of all arms.

South Carolina and Louisiana had immediately on their secession
organized regular armies, on a more perfect and permanent basis than
their sister states, and had garrisoned their forts--and points then
supposed most vulnerable--with them. The call of the Confederate
Government for more troops had not interfered with these organizations,
but had brought into the field new material in the shape of volunteer
regiments and battalions of cavalry, artillery and infantry.

While, as a general thing, the rank and file of the state regulars were
composed of the laboring classes, foreigners and the usual useless and
floating portion of their populations, officered by gentlemen of be