Question: Account for the early Success of the Confederacy

The Confederate State’s at the outset of the American Civil had distinct advantages over the Union and possessed an opportunity to ensure a short victory. The South was fighting a defensive war, with the Union under President Abraham Lincoln’s goal, to occupy the South and restore the Union. There were a number of factors that influenced the early Success of the South and the opportunity for victory. The South possessed exemplary leaders and brilliant generals, who gave the army a sense of direction. With these leaders; the early tactics of the South were effective against the North. The South had experience and Southern Soldiers derived an immense and often lauded fighting spirit.

The most prestigious military academies in America prior to the outbreak of Civil War were located in the South. The South at the beginning of the Civil War was gifted with generals with great expertise and military knowledge. Two of these generals were ‘General Robert E. Lee’ and General “Thomas J. ‘Stonewall’ Jackson”. Under these leaders, the Confederate States, to the surprise of the Union achieved early victories in key battles. The Battle of the First Manassas was the first key battle of the Civil War and resulted in a Confederate victory and an embarrassing retreat of the Union. It was a result of General “Thomas J. Jackson’s” tactics and this was where he earned the nickname ‘Stonewall’. ‘Stonewall Jackson’ stood his grounds as Northern forces attacked, earing his nickname and under his leadership rallied the South to a significant victory. These military tactics of the Southern Generals, allowed the Confederacy to achieve immense success in the early stages of the Civil War.

The Southern General’s, in the early stages of the Civil War employed tactics that surprised the North and were effective in battle. The Confederacy suited their tactics to the fact that they were fighting a defensive war. The overall strategy, filtrated throughout the army from President Jefferson Davis was to defend all resources and stockpile supplies and take the offensive when the supply situation warranted or there was opportunity. This tactic would eventually evolve into passive defence. This defensive stance allowed the South to surprise the Union when they chose to take an offensive pattern. An example is the First Battle of Winchester on May