In the book For Cause & Comrades: Why Men Fought In The Civil War by James McPherson there were many important motivations, along with differences and similarities in motivation between Union and Confederate soldiers. McPherson wrote this book in order to figure out “What made these men do it? What motivated them to advance into that wall of fire? What caused them to go forward despite the high odds against coming out safely?” (McPherson, 3). He read through “at least 25,000 personal letters from soldiers and 249 diaries” (McPherson, 12). McPherson got to read the true feelings about the war from the soldier’s points of views as well as see the major complications going on between families, friends and comrades. While reading these McPherson’s
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They fought to preserve the liberty won in the Revolutionary War. Northerners believed they fought to preserve the Union that emerged after 1776. (McPherson, 104). Many of the Union members were not fighting to end slavery, they were fighting for the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was a treaty designed by Abraham Lincoln in order to free the slaves. The Union’s motivation is a bit foggy to people back then. McPherson states, “Yankees fought only for “matters abstract and intangible”” (McPherson, 98). Many Northern soldiers enlisted to protect the new nation. Most soldiers fought to un-divide the North and the South. The Union had a passion to fight for independence just like the Confederacy but the difference was that the Union was not just fighting just for themselves. The concept of “freeing slaves” was little concern to the Northerners, being the majority were just as racist as Southerners; they were fighting for other people and their well being as well. Eventually, Northerners had realized how poorly the African Americans were being treated in the South and started fighting for their freedom and restoration in the country entirely; “they became convinced that this goal was unattainable without striking against slavery” (McPherson
They fought to preserve the liberty won in the Revolutionary War. Northerners believed they fought to preserve the Union that emerged after 1776. (McPherson, 104). Many of the Union members were not fighting to end slavery, they were fighting for the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was a treaty designed by Abraham Lincoln in order to free the slaves. The Union’s motivation is a bit foggy to people back then. McPherson states, “Yankees fought only for “matters abstract and intangible”” (McPherson, 98). Many Northern soldiers enlisted to protect the new nation. Most soldiers fought to un-divide the North and the South. The Union had a passion to fight for independence just like the Confederacy but the difference was that the Union was not just fighting just for themselves. The concept of “freeing slaves” was little concern to the Northerners, being the majority were just as racist as Southerners; they were fighting for other people and their well being as well. Eventually, Northerners had realized how poorly the African Americans were being treated in the South and started fighting for their freedom and restoration in the country entirely; “they became convinced that this goal was unattainable without striking against slavery” (McPherson