Final answer:
It is false that Lincoln asserted only Northerners understood God's will; his stance was that the Civil War was initially to preserve the Union, and emancipation became a goal later. Border States did not readily accept emancipation, and Southern redeemers did not aim to preserve Republican rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that Lincoln believed only Northerners understood the will of God is false. Abraham Lincoln's nuanced views recognized the complexity of interpreting divine will and during the Civil War, he was cautious about claiming to know God's plans exclusively. In a historical context, both the North and South claimed divine support for their causes. The North's argument was often based on the moral imperative to end slavery, as slavery was viewed as incompatible with American democratic and Christian values.
Initially, when the Civil War broke out, Lincoln's primary goal was to preserve the Union rather than focusing solely on abolishing slavery, which is depicted by his actions and statements before the Emancipation Proclamation. It was only as the war progressed that the emancipation of slaves became explicitly a war aim, particularly with the Proclamation in 1863.
The Border States were hesitant and did not quickly accept Lincoln's proposals for gradual compensated emancipation nor the Thirteenth Amendment without a complex process of negotiation and pressure. Also, the assertion that Southern redeemers hoped to preserve Republican rule in the South is false; they sought to restore conservative rule and end the policies of Reconstruction.