Final answer:
Southerners began to realize that the legacy of the Civil War was complex, with some mourning the demise of the Confederacy and others embracing the end of its tyranny. Lincoln's assassination intensified Northern sentiments and the conviction to realize the Union's goals, including the abolition of slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
As time went on, Southerners began to reflect on the implications of the Civil War and President Lincoln's death. In the aftermath, figures like historian Gary Gallagher noticed that very few believed that the war had decided the legality of secession, as the victory seemed to be enforced by military strength rather than constitutional authority. As Elizabeth Pendleton Hardin and Mary Chesnut indicated in their observations, while some lamented the loss of the Confederacy, others recognized the end of an era of tyranny over enslaved Africans.
However, with Lincoln's assassination by John Wilkes Booth, the political climate became charged, filled with mourning and anger. To many in the North, the assassination was seen as an extension of Confederate defiance. The martyrdom of Lincoln galvanized Northern sentiments and led to fierce Republican advocacy for the war's goals, including the permanent eradication of slavery expressed in the Thirteenth Amendment.
Heavily influenced by Lincoln's leadership and the Union's dedication to preservation and abolition, the defeat would have significant impacts on the South," We lost nearly everything but honor," Lee commented, stressing the importance of maintaining this last vestige of dignity. With Lincoln's death, Andrew Johnson ascended to the presidency, leaving the nation uncertain about its future and actively grappling with the immense financial and human costs of the conflict.