It's true that the rebel states had few military successes -- despite the myth. It's true that the rebels had no significant success at all west of the mountains throughout the whole war. It's true that Lee had as little success outside Virginia as Pope, Hooker and Burnside had within it. It's true that President Lincoln wrote out on a single piece of paper right after First Bull Run the concepts that did bring the war to a successful conclusion.
But it wasn't as bad as you suggest.
Walt
The Price in Blood! Casualties in the Civil War
At least 618,000 Americans died in the Civil War, and some experts say the toll reached 700,000. The number that is most often quoted is 620,000. At any rate, these casualties exceed the nation's loss in all its other wars, from the Revolution through Vietnam.
The Union armies had from 2,500,000 to 2,750,000 men. Their losses, by the best estimates:
Battle deaths: 110,070
Disease, etc.: 250,152
Total 360,222
The Confederate strength, known less accurately because of missing records, was from 750,000 to 1,250,000. Its estimated losses:
Battle deaths: 94,000
Disease, etc.: 164,000
Total 258,000
The only myth is the one you are spouting, Walt. It took your side four long bloody years to achieve what is today but a 2.5 hour drive by car. They lost some 350,000 men doing it. They suffered embarrassing defeats over and over and over again at First Manassas, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville among others.
It's true that the rebels had no significant success at all west of the mountains throughout the whole war.
Mansfield, Chickamauga, and Sabine Pass say otherwise.
It's true that Lee had as little success outside Virginia as Pope, Hooker and Burnside had within it.
And it is also true that almost every engagement Lee participated in was inside of Virginia.
But it wasn't as bad as you suggest.
Oh, I think it was. I distinctly recall the yankees setting term after term for readmission and, both until those terms were met and after they were met, installing illegitimate militarist regimes in the state governments of the south. It was called reconstruction, Walt. It lasted until 1877.