Suppose you asked the average pro-war Northerner this: are you fighting to free the slaves? (Remember the title of the article.)
That Northerner would have honestly replied: Yes, and also to preserve the Union.
Now ask the average pro-war Southerner this: Are you fighting to keep slavery?
That Southerner would have honestly replied: No, I’m fighting for states rights.
Sure, you’ll find exceptions in both camps, but I stand by my original answer.
Slavery didn't become the war's focus for Northerners until later, after much blood had already been shed.
If you'd asked a secessionist politician in 1861 why he wanted secession, you might get an answer about "our Southern way of life" or "Southern rights," but scratch the veneer and you'd know what was underneath.
If you asked an average Southern soldier, he might say "state's rights" or "our way of life" or "the Yankees attacked us," or even "slavery."
I'll give the fighting man the benefit of the doubt, but those who started the secessionist movement and the war were pretty clear about what they feared and what they wanted.
Check out the secession declarations of the various states.
I disagree. The north went to war to save the union and ended up freeing the slaves.
The south went to war to protect the Particular Institution and ended up losing everything.
A Confederate POW was asked why he was fighting. He replied, "because you all are down here."