Soon after the start of the Civil War, officers and soldiers on both sides discovered that they were fighting a type of war they had not anticipated. Trained at the army's West Point academy in the military tactics of an earlier time, Confederate commanders had to adapt to drastically different conditions after Fort Sumter and Bull Run. Rough, forested terrain made coordinated movements among large numbers of regiments difficult, sometimes impossible. Longerrange, more accurate rifles took a deadly toll on frontline troops, who began digging entrenchments to protect themselves. Rapid transportation via railroad allowed the enemy to resupply its units. Sniping and guerrilla fighting had to be carried out and defended against. Free-ranging cavalry units played havoc in the rear, disrupting communications and infantry movements.

The skill and pluck of Confederate soldiers carried them to victory in several battles in which they...