Chandra Manning offers ample evidence as to what motivated both the Union and Confederate soldiers to fight during the Civil War. Through four miserable years of defeat,victory, death, disease, and despair, views of the war changed on both sides. The Confederate troops began the war with the mindset of fighting for a new government that would protect their personal interests, families, and the institution of slavery. As the war progressed the government began to threaten the very ideals that they sought to protect. The motivations of the Confederate soldiers began to change alongside an evolving government but ultimately they fought under the unifying principle of protecting their self-interest, family, and the institution of slavery.
As the first few shots reverberated through the Antebellum South, the confederate rank and file were motivated to fight a war “about securing a government that would do what government was supposed to do: promote white liberty, advance white families’ best interests, and protect slavery”( Manning p 29). The Union was aimed at the goal of abolishing slavery, which to the southern white man, was a direct threat his livelihood. Manning argues that, “Black slavery enabled white liberty and equality because it allowed all whites to pursue property ownership (including slaves) without outside interference, and because it made whites equal in not being slaves.”(p 33) In short, slavery was an economic resource but it also provided a balance to society and reinforced the ideal of white male superiority. If the Union was to abolish slavery then the entire social structure would be turned upside down. Among the rank and file of the Confederacy, soldiers had different self interests and different backgrounds, but the “Shared belief in the dangers of abolition powerfully united Confederate soldiers and motivated them to fight, even when they shared little else”(p 31) This united front gave the Confederates a unique sense of patriotism; a self-serving patriotism, but patriotism nonetheless. It is clear that at the beginning of the war that the rank and file of the South were fighting for a new government that would protect white liberties, white families, and the institution of slavery.
As early as 1862 the Confederate troops began to see the ‘promises’ of their government merely as nothing but words. Defeat and despair started to take a toll after losses in Missouri and Arkansas, surrendered Forts Henry and Donelson, and the loss of major cities like New Orleans, Nashville and Memphis(p 54). What was once optimism and confidence turned into an exhausted and demoralized plight. An Arkansan admitted he was “awful tired of being a soldier” and referred to the war as a “wild Goose Chase” wishing the Confederate leaders would “dry it up and let us go home”(p. 55) As things began to deteriorate the Confederate government took notice and addressed the important issue of needing more soldiers. In 1862 the Confederate Congress and Jefferson Davis worked to impose a conscription law and on April 16, 1862, the Confederate Congress enacted the first national conscription law in American history(p 55-56). It drafted white men between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five and extended the enlistments of current soldiers. Manning claims that the law “enraged troops because it violated their rights, as soldiers saw them, by extending enlistments without their consent”(p 56). Along with the Conscription Act the government sought to “permit the Army to commandeer private citizens’ crops”(p 55) This is where we begin to see the change in the soldiers view and motivation. The government began to change their role and southerners viewed it as unjust and a threat to their own livelihood. The Confederate government was sought to protect the their self-interest, family and the institution of slavery and now it was threatening these very things. I believe that Virginia Sergeant John White summed up the thoughts of all Confederate troops when he said, “I love my country but I love my family better”(p 59). I think that he perfectly alludes to the steadfast ideal that of Southerners that at the end of the day self interest and family are the most important things in life. Although most Confederate troops were dissatisfied and at time outraged at their government, they clung to the ideal of defending slavery and keeping Union ideals out of their life.
It is clear that the confederate troops’ views and motivations changed throughout the war and it was facilitated by changes in their Government’s actions. Regardless of how meager the situation seemed, they maintained the unifying principle of protecting self-interest, family and the institution of slavery.

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