The Civil War :: essays research papers

The Civil WarOn paper the North was far-off stronger than the South. It had 2 and ahalf times as many people, and it possessed far more ships, miles ofrailroad, and manufacturing enterprises. Southerners, however, had theadvantage of fighting on home ground with break off military leadership. But married couple superiority in manpower was not so great as the gross figures suggest.Half a zillion people scattered from Dakota to California, could make nosubstantial contribution to Union strength. And all(prenominal) year Union regi workforcetswere sent to the West to fight Indians. Hundreds of thousands of Americansin loyal border states and in southern Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois workedor fought for southern independence. Though, every state furnished men forthe other side, there was little discredit that more Federals than Confederates"crossed over."The South had superior officer personnel. For twenty years beforeLincolns inauguration, southern officers had dominated t he U.S. Army. Another source of southern boldness was cotton. Secession leadersexpected to exchange that staple for the foreign manufacture goods theyneeded.The Souths most important advantage was that it had only to defendrelatively piteous interior lines against invaders who had to deal with longlines of communication and to attack a unspecific front. The Confederacy alsohad no need to divert fighting men to tasks such as garrisoning capturedcities and holding conquered territory.In a short war, numerical superiority would not have made much of adifference. As the war continued, however, numerical strength became apsychological as hearty as a physical weapon. During the closing years of theconflict, Union armies, massed at last against critical strongholds,suffered terrible casualties but seemed to grow stronger with every defeat.