I think this assumes too much about the importance of economic and political
motivation for individual soldiers; most enlisted men fight because they are
part of a community; a family, a country.  They are "sold" a notion of
patriotism (sometimes it is legitimate, sometime not); told they are defending
their homeland (sometimes true, sometimes not); or they are part of a great
adventure (join the navy, see the world);  Most of the soldiers who volunteered
to invade Mexico in 1846 did not expect to personally gain from seizing
California or Arizona from Mexico.  Similarly, most southern soldiers were not
necessarily fighting "for slavery" as much as doing what their neighbors did.
If there was a political motiviation, it was "getting the Yankees."  the officer
corps, on the otherhand, was made up to the sons of great slaveowners, or great
slaveowners themselves. They were clearly fighting for their way of life.

There is a great difference between the motivations of southern political
leaders for secession -- protect slavery -- and the motivation of soldiers after
secession leads to war.

Paul Finkelman
--
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, OK  74104-3189

phone 918-631-3706
Fax   918-631-2194
e-mail:   [log in to unmask]




"COUNTRY.GARDENS" wrote:

> Please explain to me what was the psychology that motivated so many
> Southerners who did not and never had owned a single slave to "give their
> all", as well as their lives, fighting for the continuation of slavery.
> Please don't say that it was because they were thinking and hoping and
> praying that someday, THEY TOO, might be lucky enough to own a
> slave......what with this being the Land of Opportunity and all!
> By the way, what was the percentage of Southern soldiers who did own slaves?
> What was the percentage of Southern soldiers that did not own them?
> Miz Gardens
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "paul finkelman" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2003 11:01 AM
> Subject: Re: Gods and Generals
>
> Anne of course has it right; the point of secession was to preserve slavery
> and
> protect it from Lincoln, who was a theat to slavery, although very very much
> a
>  long-range threat, until of course secession allowed him the military
> option for
>  emancipation.
>
>  Paul Finkelman
>

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