Why was the souths military organization better at the beginning?

Answer 1

At the beginning, neither side was well-organised, and the Union General-in-Chief, Winfield Scott, correctly forecast that nothing of consequence would be achieved in the first year.

However, the South did have some distinct military advantages, notably some of the best officers of the US Army, who had resigned to join the Confederates. Also the South had a strong cavalry tradition, with most young men owning at least one horse. (It took the North two years to catch up.) The average Southern 'poor white trash' of military age was a more aggressive and soldierly type than his Northern counterpart. Finally, the South had high hopes of exporting its plentiful cotton in exchange for war supplies.