Did the union want to wage total war at the beginning of the war?

At the beginning of the Civil War, the Union did not initially seek to wage total war. The primary goal was to preserve the Union and restore the status quo rather than completely destroy the South's infrastructure or civilian morale. Early strategies focused on conventional military engagements and limited objectives, but as the war progressed, the Union's approach evolved into total war, especially under leaders like General Sherman, who aimed to break the South's will to fight.