The challenges that the Union and the Confederacy faced during the Civil War were very different. Critical weaknesses that seemed unfit for war, plagued the opposing American forces, and would serve to be a continuous obstacle that would need to be conquered by patriotism of the people, for their opposing views. To allow for both sides to be competitive, the efforts put forth had to mold to the varied needs of the armies by both the civilian population and their militaries. To the people in the south the similarity to the colonists in the Revolutionary War, was assimilated to their separatist cause in the Civil War and would be their drive to compete with the dominating Northern states. This mindset started the Confederacy in the Civil
The Northern states did not prove to have the same strengths in leadership. Lincoln’s political career consisted of one uneventful term in the House of Representatives. The extent of his military background was a short time spent as head of a small militia that moved Native Americans out of Illinois in 1832. He was tall, gangly, and had some feminine characteristics that did not allow for him to have the strong presence that Jefferson Davis had. A strong military general was hard for Lincoln to find that could win battles, multiple would become general to soon be replaced. The public in the North would also not have the same drive to defeat the south. For the northern population, battles would not be fought on their home land, and if the war was lost the way of life for the Union would not change. This would serve to be one of the largest challenges to overcome for the Union military. It would not be until General Grant would start proving his strong ability to win battles for Lincoln in the west and replace McClellan as commander for his army that the war would start to be in Union favor. Grant used the strengths the north had and used them to exploit the south’s weakness. The Union army was more equipped with men, weapons, and transportation via rail road. Grant was relentless on his attacks on the south and would find a knack for putting his soldiers in harm’s way to ensure victory, because he had