the white Americans were outraged because they believed that the president was going to save the union. instead president lincoln freed the slaves but what they did not know was he was freeing the slaves to weaken the south, to save the union. in the article it states "many white Americans were outraged, complaining bitterly that it changed the goal of the civil war from saving the union to freeing the slaves".many people didnt accept the change of missions. this started rebellions. the commander in chief