The Civil War was a struggle between the Union and the Confederacy that changed the course of history. The war’s official start was 1861, but the conflict really started in 1820 with the Missouri Compromise. There were other factors at play when the South seceded from the Union in 1860-61, but the primary reason was slavery. The South’s protection of slavery was unjustifiable, but this article will go into the logistics and strategy of the South as well as several events, actions and people that could have caused a Southern victory.

Starting on July 1st, 1863, the battle of Gettysburg was one of the most crucial battles of the entire war. Lee marched his army to Pennsylvania after a victory in Chancellorsville, he was confident, and his troops were ready. This battle was important for the Union as it would halt Confederate troops in their tracks, stopping their invasion of the North. The battle lasted three days. On the first day, Confederate forces pushed the Union army back to Cemetery Hill. Lee was on the offensive and wanted to push the attack, but his general in charge, Richard Ewell, disregarded his orders saying the Union was too powerful. However, not long after this more Union forces arrived fortifying their position on Cemetery Hill. If this offensive had been pushed, Ewell might have delivered the Union a fatal blow, possibly winning the battle. The next day the Confederates hit them again, and bloody fighting and casualties occurred on both sides. On the third and final day of fighting, Lee was confident based off his armies previous fighting. He ordered George Pickett to lead a charge towards the Unions main defensive spot, Cemetery ridge. This turned out to be a terrible mistake on Lee’s behalf as 2/3rds of Pickett’s platoon died. Even though the Union won Gettysburg, there were multiple turning points and decisive missed opportunities for the Confederacy.

Another loss for the South was their lack of success in securing Britain’s support against the Union. The South was at a major disadvantage because the Union was more industrial and had more troops and weaponry. Therefore, the Confederacy needed something to help set them apart from the Union and make them stronger. Led by Jefferson Davis, the South believed they would receive British support because of King Cotton (Britain’s reliance on getting cotton from the South). However, Britain did not help the South because they switched their cotton manufacturing to other countries. The British public were also generally opposed to slavery as they had abolished it in 1834. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 further convinced them not to aid the Confederates.

Another aspect of the war that could have caused a better outcome for the South was their leadership. Overall, the Union’s leadership compared to the South was far superior. The historian David Potter once wrote, “If the Union and the Confederacy had changed presidents with one another the Confederacy might have won its independence.” Ultimately one can assume that Lincoln was the better leader because of the outcome of the war, even though Jefferson Davis had far more military experience. The fact is Lincoln just outclassed Davis when it came to political leadership, and the battle of morals. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address tied the nation together at arguably the most pivotal moment of the war. The South lasted four years, which is astonishing to think based off the clear advantage that the Union had (more troops, more weapons, more money, more railroads, more industrialization). It’s possible that if advantages hadn’t been more towards benefiting the Union, history could have been changed forever.

Source:  https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-gettysburg