At the outbreak of the Civil War, the opposing sides seemed equally matched in many areas: Each boasted a galvanized populace, was confident in the righteousness of its cause, and viewed victory as a virtual certainty. Beyond fervency and determination, however, the matchup seemed much less balanced when it came to the industrial and financial wherewithal with which to wage war. Indeed, as the following statistics reveal, the seceded states that formed the Confederacy lagged dangerously behind the Union in several key areas.

Civil War Resources By the Numbers

Total Population

22,300,000: Union

9,100,000*: Confederacy

White Male Population (18 to 45)

4,600,000: Union

1,100,000: Confederacy

Bank Deposits

$207,000,000: Union

$47,000,000: Confederacy

Bank Capital

$330,000,000: Union

$27,000,000: Confederacy

Capital Investment

$850,000,000: Union

$95,000,000: Confederacy

Cotton Production (bales)

For every bale of cotton produced by the Union, the Confederacy produced 124 bales.

Total Bales

43,000: Union

5,344,000: Confederacy

Value of Manufactured Goods

$1,730,000,000: Union

$156,000,000: Confederacy

Manufacturing Establishments

110,000: Union

18,000: Confederacy

Railroad Mileage

22,000: Union

9,000: Confederacy

Shipping Tonnage

4,600,000: Union

290,000: Confederacy

Value of Firearms Produced

$2,290,000: Union

$73,000: Confederacy

Coal Production (tons)

13,680,000: Union

650,000: Confederacy