Final answer:
Gooding's letter to Lincoln protested unequal pay for black Union soldiers and demonstrated the broader issue of racial inequality during the Civil War. Distress and intimidation were prevalent for these soldiers, who were subject to harsh discrimination and threats. Lincoln's public communications showed a strategic approach to the issues of war and slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main purpose of James Henry Gooding's letter to President Abraham Lincoln was to express dissatisfaction and protest against the unequal treatment of black soldiers in the Union Army, specifically regarding the issue of unequal pay. Gooding was upset because, despite being born in the United States and serving selflessly in the army, black soldiers like himself were being paid less than their white counterparts and were treated as 'menial hirelings' rather than American SOLDIERS. This protest highlighted the broader issue of racial discrimination and the lack of civil rights and equality for African Americans during the Civil War era.
At the time when Gooding wrote his letter, the country was in the midst of the Civil War, with intense debates over slavery and the treatment of black soldiers in the Union army. There was certainly a level of distress and intimidation faced by these soldiers, not just from the unequal treatment within the army but also from the threat of murder or enslavement if captured by the Confederate forces. Gooding's letter and the refusal of paychecks by the soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts were acts of protest that embodied civil rights tactics that raised objections during that era.
President Lincoln's evolving thoughts on slavery and the war were complex, with his priority being the preservation of the Union. His public statements, including the memo released prior to the 1864 election, and his letter to Horace Greeley, demonstrate a strategic approach rather than an outright anti-war stance, where he navigated between his personal beliefs and political realities.