‘Bottom line, the North held a 3:2 advantage in available manpower, and an approximate 7:1 advantage in production of war materials. No way the South could have won. ‘
The North won the war when they built the Erie Canal, before it even started. That tied the former Northwest Territories to New England. Though the people who serttled them were mostly from the South. So: brother against brother.
The South could have tied to the NW Terrs with canals but the moneyed elite of the South were plantation owners who saw little financial benefit to canals. While the moneyed elite of the North were merchants who saw plenty to gain.
The South was on a different railroad gauge from the rest of the country as well.
They finally converted 11,500 miles of track in 1886 in an amazing 36 hours.
“The South could have tied to the NW Terrs with canals”
I don’t think that there are any connecting rivers to follow and you have the Alleghenies to deal with.
The C&O, and George Washington’s earlier Patowmack Canal, went up the Potomac River to Cumberland, Maryland but only dreamt of connecting to the Ohio River at Pittsburgh. I don’t think that ever was practical.