ant way； however zealously； towards the organized efficiency of a real army。 The companies had to be formed into workable battalions； the battalions into brigades。 There was a deplorable lack of cavalry； artillery； engineers； commissariat； transport； medical services； and； above all； staff。 Armament was bad； other munitions were worse。 There would have been no chance whatever of holding Harper's Ferry unless the Northern conglomeration had been even less like a fighting army than the Southern was。
Harper's Ferry was not only important in itself but still more important for what it covered： the wonderfully fruitful Shenandoah Valley； running southwest a hundred and forty miles to the neighborhood of Lexington； with an average width of only twenty…four。 Bounded on the west by the Alleghanies and on the east by the long Blue Ridge this valley was a regular covered way by which the Northern invaders might approach； cut Virginia in two （for West Virginia was then a part of the State） and； after devastating the valley itself （thus destroying half the foodbase of Virginia） attack eastern Virginia through whichever gaps might serve the purpose best。 More than this； the only direct line from Richmond to the Mississippi ran just below the southwest end of the valley； while a network of roads radiated from Winchester near the northeast end； thirty miles southwest of Harper's Ferry。
Throughout the month of May Jackson went on working his men into shape and watching the enemy； three thousand strong； at Chambersburg； forty…five miles north of Harper's Ferry； and twelve thousand strong farther north still。 One day he made a magnificent capture of rolling stock on the twenty…seven miles of double track that centered in Harper's Ferry。 This greatly hampered the accumulation of coal at Washington besides helping the railroads of the South。 Destroying the line was out of the question； because it ran through West Virginia and Maryland； both of which he hoped to see on the Confederate side。 He was himself a West Virginian； born at Clarksburg； and it grieved him greatly when West Virginia stood by the Union。
Apart from this he did nothing spectacular。 The rest was all just sheer hard work。 He kept his own counsel so carefully that no one knew anything about what he would do if the enemy advanced。 Even the officers of outposts were forbidden to notice or mention his arrival or departure on his constant tours of inspection； lest a longer look than usual at any point might let an awkward inference be drawn。 He was the sternest of disciplinarians when the good of the service required it。 But no one knew better that the finest discipline springs from self…sacrifice willingly made for a worthy cause； and no one was readier to help all ranks along toward real efficiency in the kindest possible way when he saw they were doing their best。
At the end of May Johnston took over the command of the increasing force at Harper's Ferry； while Jackson was given the First Shenandoah Brigade； a unit soon； like himself； to be raised by service into fame。
On the first and third of May Virginia issued calls for more men； and on the third Lincoln； who quite understood the signs of the times； called for men whose term of service would be three years and not three months。
Just a week later Missouri was saved for the Union by the daring skill of two determined leaders； Francis P。 Blair； a Member of Congress who became a good major…general； and Captain Nathaniel Lyon； an excellent soldier； who commanded the little garrison of regulars at St。 Louis。 When Lincoln called upon Governor Claiborne Jackson to supply Missouri's quota of three…month volunteers the Governor denounced the proposed coercion as 〃illegal； unconstitutional； revolutionary； inhuman； and diabolical〃； and thereafter did his best to make Missouri join the South。 But Blair and Lyon were too quick for him。 Blair organized the Home Guards； whom Lyon armed from the arsenal。 Lyon then sent all the surplus arms and stores across the river into Illinois； while he occupied the most commanding position near the arsenal with his own troops； thus forestalling the Confederates； under Brigadier…General D。 M。 Frost； who was now forced to establish Camp Jackson in a far less favorable place。 So vigorously had Blair and Lyon worked that they had armed thousands while Frost had only armed hundreds。 But when Frost received siege guns and mortars from farther south Lyon felt the time had come for action。
Lyon was a born leader； though Grant and Sherman （then in St。 Louis as junior ex…officers； quite unknown to fame） were almost the only men； apart from Blair； to see any signs of preeminence in this fiery little redheaded； weather…beaten captain； who kept dashing about the arsenal； with his pockets full of papers； making sure of every detail connected with the handful of regulars and the thousands of Home Guards。
On the ninth of May Lyon borrowed an old dress from Blair's mother…in…law； completing the disguise with a thickly veiled sunbonnet； and drove through Camp Jackson。 That night he and Blair attended a council of war； at which； overcoming all opposition； answering all objections； and making all arrangements； they laid their plans for the morrow。 When Lyon's seven thousand surrounded Frost's seven hundred the Confederates surrendered at discretion and were marched as prisoners through St。 Louis。 There were many Southern sympathizers among the crowds in the streets； one of them fired a pistol； and the Home Guards fired back； killing several women and children by mistake。 This unfortunate incident hardened many neutrals and even Unionists against the Union forces； so much so that Sterling Price； a Unionist and former governor； became a Confederate general； whose field for recruiting round Jefferson City on the Missouri promised a good crop of enemies to the Union cause。
Lyon and Blair wished to march against Price immediately and smash every hostile force while still in the act of forming。 But General Harney； who commanded the Department of the West； returned to St。 Louis the day after the shooting and made peace instead of war with Price。 By the end of the month； however； Lincoln removed Harney and promoted Lyon in his place； whereupon Price and Governor Jackson at once prepared to fight。 Then sundry neutrals； of the gabbling kind who think talk enough will settle anything； induced the implacables to meet in St。 Louis。 The conference was ended by Lyon's declaration that he would see every Missourian under the sod before he would take any orders from the State about any Federal matter； however small。 〃This；〃 he said in conclusion； 〃means war。〃 And it did。
Again a single week sufficed for the striking of the blow。 The conference was held on the eleventh of June。 On the fourteenth Lyon reached Jefferson City only to find that the Governor had decamped for Boonville； still higher up the Missouri。 Here； on the seventeenth； Lyon attacked him with greatly superior numbers and skill； defeated him utterly； and sent him flying south with only a few hundred followers left。 Boonville was； in itself； a very small affair indeed。 But it had immense results。 Lyon had seized the best strategic point of rail and river junction on the Mississippi by holding St。 Louis。 He had also secured supremacy in arms； munitions； and morale。 By turning the Governor out of Jefferson City； the State capital； he had deprived the Confederates of the prestige and convenience of an acknowledged headquarters。 Now； by defeating him at Boonville and driving his forces south in headlong flight he had practically made the whole Missouri River a Federal line of communication as well as a barrier between would…be Confederates to the north and south of it。 More than this； the possession of Boonville struck a fatal blow at Confederate recruiting and organization throughout the whole of that strategic area； for Boonville was the center to which pro…Southern Missourians were flocking。 The tide of battle was to go against the Federals at Wilson's Creek in the southwest of the State； and even at Lexington on the Missouri； as we shall presently see； but this was only the breaking of the last Confederate waves。 As a State； Missouri was lost to the South already。
In Kentucky； the next border State； opinions were likewise divided； and Kentuckians fought each other with help from both sides。 Anderson； of Fort Sumter fame； was appointed to the Kentucky command in May。 But here the crisis did not occur for months； while a border campaign was already being fought in West Virginia。
West Virginia； which became a separate State during the war； was strongly Federal； like eastern Tennessee。 These Federal parts of two Confederate States formed a wedge dangerous to the whole South； especially to Virginia and the Carolinas。 Each side therefore tried to control this area itself。 The Federals； under McClellan； of whom we shall soon hear more； had two lines of invasion into West Virginia； both based on the Ohio。 The northern converged by rail； from Wheeling and Parkersburg； on Grafton； the only junction in West Virginia。 The southern ran up the Great Kanawha； with good navigation to Charleston and water enough for small craft on to Gauley Bridge； which was the strategic