What you appear to be discounting is that the rebel armies were defeated. They went home, deserted, refused parole, gave up the ghost, hid out, skedaddled.
No law has power without force, and the insurgents couldn't bring it.
Walt
Sure they did. Lincoln just had more immigrant cannon-fodder. More cannon, too.
But thank you for your concise statement of your touchstone principle, "Might makes right."