Each of the articles here assembled is an authoritative discussion of one of the factors that militated against the Confederacy's final victory. Moreover, these factors, presented from the overall point of view, too generally have been inadequately stressed or even entirely overlooked by many histories of the War. In now bringing these factors to public attention and giving them their proper emphasis lies the importance of this book. Even many "Civil War buffs" may be apprised of facts of which they have heretofore been unaware or to which they have given little thought. - Introduction.