Lincoln and Ft. Sumter

[JMadonna]

For all practical purposes the war had started before Lincoln took office. Seizing of the state arsenals by the governors was an act of war. Fort Sumter was under siege warfare, also a recognized act of war.

Lincoln's initial strategy was to do nothing that would provoke a conflict nor recognize the Confederacy as a separate nation. He hoped that the opposition within the states toward secession would eventually reach critical mass. The key was Virginia.

If Virginia stayed in the Union there was a good chance this strategy would succeed. This is why Lincoln offered a "fort for a state" deal, which went nowhere.

Lincoln sent the supply ship to relieve the siege. Davis attacked the fort because if he didn't S.C. would have attacked the ships on their own just as they had done when Buchanan was president. Davis hoped that by taking the initiative he would 'strike a blow' that would force Va (and other border states) into the Confederacy.

Davis won the battle but eventually lost the war.