First this list of reasons, historians think the south lost the civil war:http://www.historynet.com/why-the-south-lost-the-civil-war-cover-page-february-99-american-history-feature.htm Next this book It 's a edited memior of a member of the Silbey brigade, and dicusses the Santa Fe campaign. From what i have read .took horses to a desert .Begin rationing water even before the desert started .Shoes begin to wore out earlier .Poor food rationing It seems that the confedracy wasted , argubalby the best idea they ever had.