The Civil War :: essays research papers

The Civil WarOn paper the North was far stronger than the South. It had two and a fractional 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 better military leadership. But summation superiority in manpower was non so great as the gross figures suggest.Half a million people scattered from Dakota to California, could make nosubstantial contribution to Union strength. And every year Union regimentswere 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 doubt that more Federals than Confederates"crossed over."The South had superior officer personnel. For twenty years beforeLincolns inauguration, southern officers had dominated the U.S. Army. Another source of southern confidence was cotton. Secession leadersexpected to exchange that staple for the foreign construct goods theyneeded.The Souths most important advantage was that it had only to defendrelatively short interior lines against invaders who had to deal with longlines of communication and to attack a broad front. The partnership 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 well as a material 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.