The Civil War: Highlights Part 2

This post is a follow-up to my earlier post, which covered the first three chapters.

P53-Significance of the Battle of Bull Run, which was a devastating blow to the Union cause and allowed the Confederacy to sit contently and wait for the Union to make the next move. The picture on page 52 depicts a soldier who's youth serves to shock readers and remind them that many of the fighters in the Civil War were under 20 years of age.
P60-Explains the importance of the Battle of Shiloh in more detail; the first day was a bloody Union loss, while the second day saw the tides turn to favor the Union. The casualty list was enormous, and the troops had been badly handled.
P63-General McClellan's handicap, the active distrust and hostility of Republican leaders, must be taken into account when assessing his actions during the war. His background, growing up with a silver spoon in his mouth, and having little experience with failure should also be taken into account.
P64-Another handicap of the Union was the use of "political generals," who were given their titles with little to no military experience. McClellan's disastrous battle is also dissected in this section, pointing out McClellan's continual over-estimations of the enemy's force.
P66-By skillfully manipulating his troops, especially his cavalry, Jackson gives the impression of large numbers and manages to frighten the Federals greatly. Thus, 50,000 Northern troops retreated in fear of Jackson's 17,000 men.
P82-The naval part of the Civil War was also important, introducing new models like submarines and iron-clads. Had the South had access to the manufacturing might of the North, their skillfully designed ships might have destroyed Federal blockades. Blockade runners also contributed to the direction of the war, contributing to keeping the South stocked with supplies during the blockade.