J.C's objective B.

B. The four border states, Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky were the only slaveholding states that did not secede from the union and join the confederacy. The decision of these four states to not join the Union was in part due to Union sentiment in those regions. In Maryland, pro-secessionists attacked Union troops and threatened the railroad to Washington. The Union decided to use martial law to keep the state under control. In Missouri, U.S. troops prevented pro-south elements in the state from gaining control. In Kentucky, the State Legislature decided to remain neutral in the conflict. Lincoln’s desired to keep the border states were both a political and military goal. The loss of the border states would have resulted in an increase of the Confederate population and a weakened position for conducting the war for the North. Lincoln did not want to alienate the Unionist in the border states and was reluctant to push for early emancipation of slaves.