The American Civil war: Why the South lost, and the North won
The American Civil War: Why the South lost, and the North won
Several reasons exist as to why the South (The Confederate States of America) lost to the North (The Union/The United States). However, was it due to the South’s failings, or simply that the North was superior?
1. Population
Population wise, the North had a considerable advantage over the South. Being as how Slavery was abolished, and African Americans were allowed to join the Armed Forces, this also gave the United States a boost. The population of the North was around 18.5 million, whilst the size of the population of the South was a mere 5.5 million free men, along with another 3.5 million enslaved. This obviously had adverse affects on the enlistment strengths of the Union and the Confederacy. At peak, the United States had an enlistment strength of 2,672,341, whilst the Confederacy had numbers between a minimum of 750,000, to a maximum of 1,227,890. The reason for the unsure demographics is that near the end of the war, records of enlistment were either incomplete or destroyed. In total, the Union outnumbered the Confederacy at least three to one, militarily wise.
2. Missed opportunities
At many stages, events on the battlefield might have gone differently. Historians stress different moments when the Confederacy was either unlucky or missed opportunities to strike at Union troops. Confederate forces might have been more pro-active after First Manassas. The Trent Affair could have brought Britain into the war on the Confederate side (two Confederate diplomats were removed from a British ship, due to a contraband of war. This angered Parliament, and almost brought the United Kingdom to side with the South). Had Stonewall Jackson acted as expected in June-July 1862 Lee might have triumphed even more spectacularly in the Seven Days battles. Who knows what would have happened had Lee’s battle orders not fallen into Union hands in Maryland in September 1862?
The Confederacy again had more chances
Several reasons exist as to why the South (The Confederate States of America) lost to the North (The Union/The United States). However, was it due to the South’s failings, or simply that the North was superior?
1. Population
Population wise, the North had a considerable advantage over the South. Being as how Slavery was abolished, and African Americans were allowed to join the Armed Forces, this also gave the United States a boost. The population of the North was around 18.5 million, whilst the size of the population of the South was a mere 5.5 million free men, along with another 3.5 million enslaved. This obviously had adverse affects on the enlistment strengths of the Union and the Confederacy. At peak, the United States had an enlistment strength of 2,672,341, whilst the Confederacy had numbers between a minimum of 750,000, to a maximum of 1,227,890. The reason for the unsure demographics is that near the end of the war, records of enlistment were either incomplete or destroyed. In total, the Union outnumbered the Confederacy at least three to one, militarily wise.
2. Missed opportunities
At many stages, events on the battlefield might have gone differently. Historians stress different moments when the Confederacy was either unlucky or missed opportunities to strike at Union troops. Confederate forces might have been more pro-active after First Manassas. The Trent Affair could have brought Britain into the war on the Confederate side (two Confederate diplomats were removed from a British ship, due to a contraband of war. This angered Parliament, and almost brought the United Kingdom to side with the South). Had Stonewall Jackson acted as expected in June-July 1862 Lee might have triumphed even more spectacularly in the Seven Days battles. Who knows what would have happened had Lee’s battle orders not fallen into Union hands in Maryland in September 1862?
The Confederacy again had more chances