The end of the war was resounding victory for the Union. They were able to defeat the rebels in their homeland, secure the union, and abolish slavery. But at what cost? Over 600,000 lives had been lost and untold destruction had crippled the south. Not directly affecting the end of the war, but still significant, was the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. This bold proclamation stated that all slaves in the rebel south were now and forever free. Why only in the south? Because if Lincoln had forced emancipation on the whole country, the loyal border states may have been spurred to join the rebel cause. So this proclamation was basically just that. A statement that when those states were retaken into the union, the slaves would be free. As previously stated, the main killing blow to the south was Sherman's March to the Sea. The general began a policy of total war. Carving a path of destruction through Georgia and South Carolina, the general destroyed southern supply lines, homes, and property. This tactic was used in hopes of not only crippling the south's supply lines, but weakening the morale of the men at the front lines by destroying their homes. His plan worked as it was one of the final campaigns of the war. After 4 years of this butchery and destruction the south had finally had enough. General Grant had carved his own path of destruction directly to Richmond, Virginia (the Confederate capital). After the burning of the city, General Lee was cornered at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. Lee finally conceded to the rather generous terms of surrender and the war was finally over. Just 5 days after Lee's surrender, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in the Ford Theater in Washington. The assassin... fanatic pro-southern actor, John Wilkes Booth. At first, many southerners cheered with joy when they heard the news, but before long, they realized that his kindness was the only protection from the North's vindication that would follow in the next decade. So... after all this, have we found the answer to our original question? I believe we have. Lincoln declared war on the south at the beginning for the main purpose of preserving the union. As the war went on the cause seemed to shift to a more abolition oriented one, hell bent on freedom for the figurative workhorses of the south and the preservation of the union for (hopefully) all eternity.