* They planned to fight a defensive war * They had more military experience and a stronger military tradition * They were more motivated * There were a not-i

* They planned to fight a defensive war * They had more military experience and a stronger military tradition * They were more motivated * There were a not-insignificant number of Northerners who weren't particularly in favor of fighting a war against slavery (which, despite the "states' rights" commentators, was the real cause of the war) * They expected recognition from the British government due to their supposed dependence of southern cotton I just finished the book _Battle Cry of Freedom_ a couple of weeks ago. It's a fantastic and very readable single-volume history of the war and the ~20 years leading up to it, and I think every American should read it for a clear understanding of why exactly the US Civil War happened