“it wouldn’t grow enough to feed anyone.”
Yes it will. Berries, nuts, grasses feed people. When not cultivated, the land don’t feed a lot of people.
“Not when it allows the retention of other property that allows the Confederates the ability to make war.”
What property allowing the Confederates to make war, did Lincoln allow them to have?
“But how much more blood and treasure was expended because he did not apply the same measure to all property used to support the Confederacy”
What property did Lincoln exempt from seizure, or destruction allowing the Confederacy to continue the war.
An Army of a million men and a Navy of 500 ships does not seem like half measures. Sufficient to destroy all of the Armies of the Confederacy. Once the last Confederate Army surrendered. There was no more Confederacy.
“because doing it for political reasons was completely illegal”
Cite the law that makes it illegal. All war is fought for political reasons.
No one makes war just for something to do in their spare time. There is always a political objective in war.
And economic reasons too.
Perhaps someone can cite an example where a nation were to war to deliberately damage their own long-term economic situation.
Land, horses, cattle.
An Army of a million men and a Navy of 500 ships does not seem like half measures.
Why did it take four years?
Cite the law that makes it illegal. All war is fought for political reasons.
Due process. Article 4, section 2.