Final answer:
The statement is false; while capturing Richmond was a strategic goal, the Union's strategy evolved to include the destruction of Confederate resources and armies, ultimately leading to their surrender.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that President Lincoln favored a strategy that focused on capturing and holding Confederate territory, namely Richmond, the Confederate capital, and not the destruction of the Confederate armies is false. Initially, President Lincoln's primary aim was the preservation of the Union, and while capturing strategic locations like Richmond was part of Union military strategy, it was not the sole focus. Furthermore, as the war progressed, the Union strategy evolved to include the destruction of Confederate armies, supply lines, and the economy to undermine the Confederacy's ability to continue the war. Notable Union campaigns led by generals like Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman were aimed squarely at Confederate forces and resources, culminating in the eventual surrender of General Robert E. Lee's army at Appomattox Court House.