al tug of the struggle was not yet commenced; that the
whole power of a government, never yet overstrained, or even fully
tested, would be hurled on the new confederation, to crush ere it could
concentrate its strength.

The Confederate Government was on the side of this opinion; and now,
for the first time, preparations for war began in earnest. Though the
people of Montgomery still murmured, as they had done from the
beginning, at the influx of corrupting social influences from Sodom on
the Potomac, and still held the hordes of unintroduced strangers aloof
from their firesides, they continued most strenuous exertions and made
most selfless sacrifices to serve the beloved cause. Storehouses were
freely offered for the public use; and merchants moved from their
places of business, on shortest notice, to turn them over to the
Government.

A great, red brick pile, originally built for warehouses and
counting-rooms, had early been converted into public offices and
popularly named the "Government House." Here the departments were all
crowded together; and now, under the pressure of close necessity, the
War office was organized into bureaux, at the heads of which were
placed the most competent officers of the old service at the disposal
of the Executive. Bureaux of Adjutant-General, Ordnance, Engineers and
Medicine were soon put in as perfect a state as the condition of the
South allowed; and their respective chiefs were tireless in endeavor to
collect the very best assistants and material, in their various
branches, from every quarter.

Commissioners were sent to all the states that had not already joined
the Confederacy, to urge them to speedy action; and the dispatches they
sent back were so full of cheer, that day after day a salute of cannon
from the street in front of the Government House announced to the
roused Montgomerans that another ally had enlisted under the flag; or,
that a fresh levy of troops, from some unexpected quarter, had been
voted to the cause.

Officers, carefully selected from those who left the United States
Army, or who had received military education elsewhere, were promptly
sent to all points in the South, to urge and hasten the organization of
troops; to forward those already raised to points where they might be
most needed; and to establish recruiting stations and camps of
instruction. The captured arsenals were put in working order, new ones
were started, depots for clothes, ordnance and