The South said it was fighting for the right to seceed and preserve self-government. The North said it was fighting to "preserve the Union." No one said they were fighting to free slaves, in fact the North repeatedly said that it wasn't in order to keep its soldiers in the ranks. AFTER the war, "historians" inserted the idea that the Civil War was fought over slavery, and to free the slaves. And, that became the history we believe today. Still, the words of those who lived in those times are preserved. All we have to do is read them. But, we won't... our minds are made up.