During the Civil War, Lincoln was the president but the country was divided. The southern states were presented by their president, Jefferson Davis. It was almost like two countries fighting, but really it was one country fighting against itself. When the country was divided, there were many military generals who could provide leadership for their side. When analyzing their backgrounds and education, the most knowledgeable and experienced were fighting for the South.
Lincoln used his strategies from past experiences to discuss with his military leaders how to fight the south with all of the West Point military education. The Union had many advantages that Lincoln made sure his military generals would use. These include having more access to railroad, a larger population so they would have a larger army and more experienced navy.