Those who fought in both Blue and Grey did so for God and country. While it is reasonable to question their methods, their motives were pure. Can the same be said of the men (again, on either side) who agitated for war and sent them? Our modern military embraces both armies as their forefathers; and in doing otherwise you do a disservice to all American servicemen.
Lee was a military leader. The military victory of the North was decisive; Lee and the Confederate Army abided by it. The politics of the war remain an interesting topic of debate.
Those who fought in both Blue and Grey did so for God and country. While it is reasonable to question their methods, their motives were pure.
I don't think so. More and more people were becoming uncomfortable with slavery. The British outlawed slavery in 1833. The motives of the slave holders were anything -but- pure. This was noted at the time, it is not a generational judgment.
The leading secessionists had a large part of their net worth in slaves. The FMV of slaves in the south totalled more than the FMV of the land in the south, I believe.
The slave holders hardened their hearts and fought for slavery tooth and nail. There might be some question that the common soldiers were not fighting for slavery, although they seem to have at least been fighting for white supremacy. To the extent they fought -not- for slavery, they were the dupes of the slave power.
Abraham Lincoln, who favored an end to slavery, was vilified in the south -because he opposed slavery.
The situation was -not- what you say it was.
Walt