[central_va]

What manufacturing base was there in the Southern states?

The myth is there was no manufacturing base in antebellum south, there was a lot actually.

[Non-Sequitur]

The myth is there was no manufacturing base in antebellum south, there was a lot actually.

Not much of one outside of Virginia. But if you can identify the machinery that was imported by Southerners in such massive quantities then by all means please do so.