The first battle of the American Civil War was fought at Fort Sumter, which was won by the Confederate army. President Abraham Lincoln's initial intention was not to abolish slavery in the United States. Instead it was to save the Union and make the Confederate states join back the Union and thus eventually succeed in saving the United States of America from splitting up. But it never meant that Lincoln was not against slavery. He was particularly against the hateful practice of slavery, which became his ultimate aim to fight the American Civil War.
However it was necessary for him to maintain a diplomatic stance on the issue of slavery during the initial stages of the American Civil War because there were some slave states, which were still part of the Union. However these 'border states' as they were referred as, did not remain part of the Union for soon. Just after the victory of the Confederate Army, four Border States seceded from the Union and instead joined the Confederate States of America, including North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia and Tennessee.
However it was necessary for him to maintain a diplomatic stance on the issue of slavery during the initial stages of the American Civil War because there were some slave states, which were still part of the Union. However these 'border states' as they were referred as, did not remain part of the Union for soon. Just after the victory of the Confederate Army, four Border States seceded from the Union and instead joined the Confederate States of America, including North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia and Tennessee.