Peace-loving? The confederate states STARTED the war. Lincoln had withdrawn federal troops from several federal forts (i.e., federal property), to Ft. Sumter. He had issued several assertions that he had no intent of coercing the South to free the slaves. He had even gone so far as to campaign against that during the war. BUT (here we come to Myth #2)...
States Rights? The South had no intention of permitting states to determine the issue as they saw fit. The West represented economic competition, providing a source of slave-free agriculture. So, the South had to make sure the West became slave-holders’ territory, regardless of the wishes of those who lived in the West, and remained under the political domination of slave-holders. THIS is why the South saw Lincoln’s election as such a death-blow.
Non-slave holders? Well, it’s true that most Southern soldiers didn’t own slaves. But the Southern economy was built on slave labor, which is why for a century it severely lagged the North despite a huge net influx of funds from the federal government.
Yep, I stand by all I said. I said “MOST” Confederates didn’t own slaves (which you strangely agreed with while trying to debate it), most were peace loving (didn’t want their homes and families attacked), and the federal government divided people as they are doing today.