pissposting

Well, just consider in general, the Union was fielding mostly "American made" equipment, like Springfield rifles, while the CSA was using imported firearms like the Enfield. Confederate Uniforms were much more basic, most of the time just being a Gray coat, and the remaining equipment was frequently provisioned by the soldier themselves, meanwhile the Union could afford to equip their soldiers with a consistent Uniform. In the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack, the Union Monitor was a purpose built Ironclad warship, and the Merrimack was a refit, essentially a regular ship with a bunch of iron plating slapped on it. Off the top of my head, those are some pretty compelling, well-known examples that show the difference in economies and production capabilities.