Bones Behind the Blood: The Economic Foundations of Grant's Final Campaign
Abstract
This monograph explores the economic foundations behind General Ulysses S. Grant's 1864-1865 campaign, the final campaign of the American Civil War. This paper will compare and contrast the economic conditions in the Union and the Confederacy with respect to manpower, social systems, finance, infrastructure and industrial capacity. This will result in a calculus of relative strategic power to analyze the strength and protracted military capability of the two belligerents. The campaign was long and bloody--truly a campaign that destroyed vast resources in people and national treasure. While the fighting was both protracted and vicious, the outcome was never in doubt. Based upon a strategic calculus of power, particularly industrial capacity and economic power, it was clear that the Union had a decisive advantage. While the South was primarily a traditional society with an agriculturally based economy, the North was in the stage of precondition for takeoff fully on the road to industrialization.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA258286
Entities
People
- James W. Townsend
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College