The Confederate military strategy and Union military strategy were both different. Each one had a different overall political objective. The Southern objective was to establish complete independence from the Union and the northern objective was to restore the union.

Union strategy: the "Anaconda Plan"

• Set up blockades of southern ports in the Mississippi River to stop the shipment of goods

• Use the blockades to reduce number of casualties that would result from groundwater

• Control the Mississippi River

• Overwhelmed the confederate army with a larger number of soldiers

• Make the southern population and economy suffer

• Capture the Confederate capital: Richmond Virginia

The Confederate strategy was primarily defensive not offensive.

The Confederacy's main goal was to make sure their new nation survived. The land area of the Confederate States was twice as large as the original 13 Colonies. Confederate President Jefferson Davis knew it would be hard for the union to conquer that much territory. However, southern generals did try to invade the north whenever they had an opportunity.

Confederate Strategies:

• Defend the Confederate region

• Destroy the Union Army in each battle

• Capture the Union Capital: Washington, DC

• Cotton diplomacy

The south hoped to use their cotton industry as a bargaining tactic to get help and support from European countries, especially Great Britain and France.