April 14, 1861: The aftermath of Fort Sumter.

[Condem]

President Lincoln asks for 75,000 Union troops and calls for a special session of Congress to convene on July 4.
In Galena, Illinois, 39 year old Ulysses S. Grant signs on as a mustering officer for $4.20 a day.
Thomas J. Jackson, a professor of Military Tactics and Natural Philosophy at the Virginia Military Institute, is ordered to take his cadets to Richmond and then Harpers Ferry to train units of Confederate infantry.

Three days later, Virginia secedes. General Beauregard is the hero of the South.

[jpak]

1. Those Dastardly Yankees whupped Little Johnny Reb but good as I recall

:D

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. I bet you are glad that little Billy Yank had his gun!

:D

[Condem]

3. Not so much in the first three years.

Simply put, the Confederate Army was one of the best fighting forces in history. Attrition would eventually take care of that fact.

[tabasco]

4. That's hyperbole.

First of all, they lost.

Second, they were fighting, primarily defensively, on their own soil. Their attempts to invade off their soil were disastrous (Antietam, Gettysburg).

Third, the U.S. went through a string of truly bad commanders.

"History" is a long time. The CSA was a good Army, at times, but one of the best in history - don't think so.

[Condem]

5. LOL, tabasco. I'll specify it even more. The Army of Northern Virginia.

Despite McClellan's overestimate of Confederate manpower, they were always outgunned. Some bad decisions at Gettysburg was the end. Otherwise, I'll back this argument any time. Their love for Lee was never matched by any army.

[jpak]

6. Joshua Chamberlain (Maine Yankee) whupped rebel ass at Gettysburg and saved the Union

yup

[deaniac21]

7. McClellan was a positively horrible general. US Grant saved the

union.

[tabasco]

8. Again, "any army" ?

Your absolute statements indicate your bias and, frankly, your ignorance of military history.

I'd say the Spartans at Thermopylae had a pretty good opinion of their commander. The Afrika Korps revered Rommel, as well.