What was an advantage for the south at the start of the civil war?

The first and most well seen advantage at the beginning of the war was the psychological advantage; the Southerner's home was being invaded and they needed to protect themselves, their families, and their way of life.

Explanation:

Southerners enjoyed the initial advantage of morale: The South was fighting to maintain its way of life, whereas the North was fighting to maintain a union. Slavery did not become a moral cause of the Union effort until Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. i hope this helped a bit!