In the heart of winter a military campaign in North Carolina offers a glimpse into the likely outcome of the war. The town of Newbern (or New Bern) came under attack earlier in the month … by Confederate forces. Located in eastern North Carolina, the Union-controlled town represented an unwelcome dilemma for the Confederacy. In…
The steady drip of bad news within the Confederacy continues. The summer and fall of 1863 witnessed a growing number of soldier desertions, a problem that only worsens during the cold days of winter. Already short of manpower, military officials (unlike earlier in the war) now routinely execute deserters who are unfortunate enough to be…
By the waning days of 1863 the trickle of Confederate deserters has turned into a relative flood. Government officials and military officers alike grow increasingly concerned that the South will not have enough manpower to overcome the superior numerical advantage of the United States. Most deserters who manage to escape recapture spend the rest of…