From what I have read, Lincoln DIDN'T want the war nor did he want to punish the South as much as most of the Republican party did at the time.
I don't know if they wanted to kick the South out more than they wanted to Punish the South. Considering how politicians are, I do think the punish crowd was probably stronger.
Lincoln's Assassination made the reconstruction much worse than it would/should have been.....
Good grief! Reconstruction is a whole other thread. Just 11 more years of punishment for the South........punishment for what they legally and constitutionally had the right to do.......secede.