You do seem to have a problem with comprehension today. Both sides expected to win, but only one side did and it wasn't yours.
[NS 358] Only one side was surprised by the outcome of the War of Southern Rebellion, and it wasn't mine
Since the war was won by waging war against civilian property and civilians (mostly women, children, and elderly men), I thought you were saying by the above comments that was the plan from the beginning (i.e. we never doubted the outcome).
Apparently the message was that the North was willing from the beginning to sell its soul for victory, they just didn't have to until late in the war.