went forward in his great undertaking, as antagonisms developed,
as Rhett and others turned against him, Davis hardened. He lost
whatever comprehension he once had of the Rhett type. Seeking to
weld into one irresistible unit all the military power of the
South, he became at last in the eyes of his opponents a monster,
while to him, more and more positively, the others became mere
dreamers.

It took about a year for this irrepressible conflict within the
Confederacy to reveal itself. During the twelve months following
Davis's election as provisional President, he dominated the
situation, though the Charleston Mercury, the Rhett organ, found
opportunities to be sharply critical of the President. He
assembled armies; he initiated heroic efforts to make up for the
handicap of the South in the manufacture of munitions and
succeeded in starting a number of munition plants; though
powerless to prevent the establishment of the blockade, he was
able during that first year to keep in touch with Europe, to
start out Confederate privateers upon the high seas, and to
import a considerable quantity of arms and supplies. At the
close of the year the Confederate armies were approaching
general efficiency, for all their enormous handicap, almost if
not quite as rapidly as were the Union armies. And the one great
event of the year on land, the first battle of Manassas, or Bull
Run, was a signal Confederate victory.

To be sure Davis was severely criticized in some quarters for
not adopting an aggressive policy. The Confederate Government,
whether wisely or foolishly, had not taken the people into its
confidence and the lack of munitions was not generally