At the beginning of the Civil War, the Union's primary military strategy was to blockade southern ports and waterways to prevent the Confederacy from exporting their main goods, namely cotton, and importing much-needed supplies. This allowed the Union to cut off the Confederacy's main source of revenue and weakened the southern economy. Additionally, the Union aimed to control the Mississippi River, which would divide the Confederacy in two.
Confederate (Southern) Strategy
In response to the Union's blockade, the Confederate strategy was to focus on defending their territory and wear down the Union through guerrilla tactics. They sought to avoid large-scale battles and instead relied on hit-and-run tactics and ambushes to wear down the Union's resources and morale.