[DiogenesLamp]

You state emancipation was important to many Unionists. IF it was so important, why were slaves in the Unionist (northern states) NOT included in the Emancipation?????? Not to include the slave brokers located in the north!!!

That the war was fought for Slave freedom is just propaganda, and it always was. It was the 1860s equivalent of Russia! Russia! Russia! Russia! Russia!

Yes, the Union states still had slavery after they had stopped all slavery in the South.

[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "That the war was fought for Slave freedom is just propaganda, and it always was. It was the 1860s equivalent of Russia! Russia! Russia! Russia! Russia!
Yes, the Union states still had slavery after they had stopped all slavery in the South."

Rubbish.
The fact remains that protecting slavery was vitally important to 1861 Fire Eater secessionists as was emancipation to Northern abolitionists.
And while neither side went to war just for slavery, slavery was never far from the top of their priorities:

1. Unionists almost immediately realized that emancipating slaves would help the Union's military as much as it hurt Confederates.
   Hence the Emancipation Proclamation and 13th amendment.

2. Likewise Confederates refused to recognize slaves as soldiers precisely because such service implied emancipation in return.

So it's not correct to say that slavery was unimportant to either side, but is correct to say slavery was not their only concern.