re: History Topic: Did R.E. Lee Betray His Countrymen?

You are wrong. yes, Lincoln indicated he would preserve slavery if he could save the union. his main goal was to save the union. that was the sworn duty of every president before and since.
however, the motives for southern secession can only be pinned on the preservation of slavery.
when the southern states broke away and formed the csa, they did so to protect slavery. how else can you explain them drafting a constitution verbatim to the us constitution except for a provision to guarantee the right to own slaves?
The fighting class of the csa were mostly conscripts who never directly benefited from slavery. but the hotheaded aristocratic southern politicians who committed treason by starting the csa benefited greatly from slavery.