Hence it was that as soon as the vote was cast, the aggressive was taken by the Virginia government in the burning of the bridges near Grafton.

The fire of war was thus lighted.

The crossing of the Ohio was with a full understanding with Colonel Kelley, who recognized McClellan at once as his military commander.

[Footnote: I treated the relations of Lee and Virginia to the Confederacy in a paper in "The Nation," Dec.

23, 1897, entitled "Lee, Johnston, and Davis."] The affair at Philippi was, in form, the last appearance of Virginia in the role of an independent nation, for in a very few days Lee announced by a published order that the absorption of the Virginia troops into the Confederate Army was complete.