Few events in American history loom as large or changed the country as profoundly as the conflict between the Union and Confederacy. No war could be said to have had higher stakes or such a colorful cast of characters whose decisions endangered the continued existence of the American Experiment. With a tounge-in-cheek style "How to Lose the Civil War" chronicles the thrilling history of the many disastrous decisions made by both sides. Among the catastrophic missteps: Lee Looks Smart Beating a Stupid General - Second Battle of Bull Run; Colonel James Ripley and the Union buy inferior rifles; Lincoln's long roller coaster search for aggressive, competent Generals; General's Lee's failure to exploit the Union at its most desperate and capture Washington, DC; the many Confederate command failures of Gettysburg; and, the errors of Lincoln's contentious draft policy.