This paper will first of all review the literature that points to generally accepted reasons why the North won the Civil War, which through doing so explains why the South lost the war. Secondly, it will also go into great detail about the Battle of Gettysburg; in particular, Pickett's Charge, the strategies employed in that charge, the aftermath of that charge, first-person, historic accounts, and why it should more rightfully be termed the "Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Assault." .

             The Civil War's Aftermath - Why did the South Lose?.

             To begin with, going into the Civil War, it is clear through historical review that many of the odds were stacked against the South. In general terms, the North won the war, according to Civil War author David Potter, because the North was far better equipped in terms of industrial and agricultural resources, than the South was. Potter notes (115) that at the beginning of the war, the north produced (annually) ".17 times as much cotton and woolen goods as did the South." .

             Other annual production advantages enjoyed by the North included: "30 times as many boots and shoes" (Potter 115); 20 times as much pig iron; 13 times as much "bar, sheet, and railroad iron" (important raw materials for transportation); 24 times as many locomotive engines; "more than 500 times as much general hardware" (Potter 115); 17 times as much machinery used in agriculture; and, importantly, the North produced, Potter continues, "32 times as many firearms, and 11 times as many ships and boats." .

             The North's advantage in firearms of course was pivotal - in terms of pure military power - but even more impressive was the manpower advantage held by the Union army. It should be mentioned that the population math was stacked against the South as well: the Northern states had 19 million people (mostly white) compared with the South's estimated 12 million people (of which about 4 million were slaves) (Potter 94).