On the eve of the Civil War, it would appear that the South had a military advantage. Why? Because the South had strong and talented officers like Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The South also had a larger army in size and all military schools were in the Confederacy except for West Pointe. One of the few disadvantages of the South was the lack and scarcity of adequate war clothing such as shoes, etc. Despite being smaller in size, the North had a greater workforce and a stronger, more unified government. The North also lacked many talented military leaders when the war began