Hi Dawna,
A few thoughts here, somewhat disjointed, but I hope this will give you an idea of how I feel about the Fort Sumter situation.
(To preface the situation, here's a brief summary
1. The election of Abraham Lincoln was based on a platform which clearly informed the Southern people that the guaranties of the Constitution, which they revered, and the doctrines of State rights and other principles of government, which they cherished, were to be ignored, and that they were to be deprived of the greater part of their property, and all possibility of continued prosperity. The South was alarmed, seized with the fear that the extreme leaders of the Republican party would not stop at any excess against them.
2. In Lincoln's inaugural address he maintains that the Union was "unbroken," denying that the Southern States had a Constitutional right to secede from the United States on their own free will. This conflicts with a speech that he made in 1847 in which he said, "Any people whatever have a right to abolish the existing government and form a new one that suits them better." Once again, Lincoln has made conflicting remarks at different times and during different situations. The United States Constitution was created by representatives of the 13 independent states and each state willfully joined this Union, each with full knowledge that they could withdraw from this Union at any time. Lincoln was very familiar with the Constitution and its meaning. His statement in his inaugural speech was simply a political maneuver. He implied that the South had never left the Union and was simply in a state of rebellion against the U.S. government.
3. Lincoln also said during his inaugural speech that he would NOT use any force against the rebelling states except to "collect the imposts," or taxes. (This statement is more revealing of Lincoln's true motives than any other statement that he made.) He had once been asked how he could advocate coercion. His reply was "What is to become of my revenue in New York if there is a ten per cent tariff at Charleston?"
(This referred to the Confederacy's ten per cent tariff on imported goods, which was much less than the U.S. tariff.)
4. An armistice had been entered into between South Carolina's government and the United States government, December 6, 1860. A similar armistice had been entered into between Florida and the United States government, January 29, 1861. These armistices agreed that the forts, Sumter and Pickens, should neither be garrisoned nor provisioned so long as these armistices continued in force. Papers to this effect had been filed in the United States Army and Navy Departments. Abraham Lincoln KNEW about this armistice. He then began a series of secret orders. Major Robert Anderson, commander of the U.S. troops stationed at Charleston, South Carolina’s Fort Moultrie, took his men out of Fort Moultrie and into the island fort, Fort Sumter, under the cloak of darkness. This in itself was a provocation that could have brought on conflict. But cooler heads prevailed and the South awaited Major Anderson’s evacuation of Fort Sumter.
5. Before his inauguration, Lincoln had sent a confidential message to General Winfield Scott to be ready, when his inauguration, March 4, 1861, should take place, to hold or retake the forts. President Lincoln on March 12, directed Montgomery Blair, one of his Cabinet members, to telegraph Captain G. V. Fox, formerly of the Navy, to come to Washington to arrange for reinforcing Fort Sumter. G. V. Fox, on March 15, was sent to Fort Sumter, and arranged with Major Anderson for reinforcement. This alone was an act of espionage.
The policy most practicable for immediate hostilities as became apparent to President Lincoln's advisers, was an invasion of the Confederacy by way of the ocean and the gulf. The first objective point, Charleston; the first State to be overthrown and brought to terms, South Carolina; the first movement, reinforcement of Fort Sumter, peaceably if permitted, otherwise by force. This plan was considered during March, while the Confederate leaders were held in suspense with the hope of peace. which caused them to wait for the action of the Federal administration.
6. On March 29, Lincoln, without consent of his Cabinet, ordered three ships with 300 men and provisions to be ready to go to Fort Sumter. All orders were marked private. A fourth expedition was secretly sent to Pensacola, Florida, under Lieutenant Porter, April 7th, on which date the three vessels were directed to go to Fort Sumter. On that same day President Lincoln directed Seward to address to the Confederate Peace Commissioners in Washington, and say "that they had no design to reinforce Fort Sumter." In short there were FOUR expeditions ordered to garrison and provision Forts Sumter and Pickens while the armistice was STILL in force. South Carolina observed her agreement faithfully, to make no attack on Fort Sumter on account of promises made to evacuate the premises by the Federals, as well as its permission, continued into April, 1861, for Major Anderson to purchase fresh provisions in the markets of Charleston. This points out a peaceable disposition which cannot be misunderstood, unless Lincoln was looking to provoke war.
Not until sufficient time had elapsed to cover the estimated landing of the vessels were the Confederate Peace Commissioners informed of these facts regarding the North intent to reinforce the US troops. At length, on the 8th of April, South Carolina was officially informed that "an attempt would be made to supply Fort Sumter, peaceably if they could, forcibly if they must." Eight armed vessels with soldiers aboard had been sent to sustain the notification, and moved so quickly on this expedition that only an unexpected storm at sea caused delay enough for the Confederate authorities to successfully meet the issue. A storm delayed some of the ships.
The Confederate States objected to this movement by the Federals, because the reinforcement was invasion by the use of physical force; because it asserted the claim of the United States to sovereignty over South Carolina, which was in dispute; and because the supply of the garrison in Ft. Sumter with necessary rations was not the object nor the end of the expedition. The purpose was to secure Ft. Sumter, to close the port with the warships, to reduce Charleston by bombardment if necessary, to land troops from transports, and thus crush the rebellion where it was supposed to have begun by overthrowing South Carolina.
7. When the Confederate government was informed of this treachery, permission was given to Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard to demand the surrender of Fort Sumter. Anderson was ordered to surrender the fort. He refused to do so until he could receive orders from the United States authorities.
The Federal scheme was frustrated by the necessary, prompt and successful attack on Fort Sumter. After General Beauregard had exchanged the usual formalities with Major Anderson which included a directive that unless the fort was surrendered within a specified time it would be fired upon. At 4:30 on the morning of April 12th, the Confederates opened fire on the fort, fire which was soon returned. A staunch secessionist and renown agriculturalist, Edmund Ruffin, fired the first shot on Fort Sumter from *******s Point. The bombardment which followed for thirty-three hours, matched by return fire from the Union troops, at last made the fort untenable, and Anderson on the 14th surrendered his stronghold to the Confederacy, and on the 15th evacuated the position with honors. The U.S. troops inside Fort Sumter came out, boarded ship and sailed out of Charleston Harbor. On their way out the Confederate troops along the shores removed their hats as the U.S. troops passed by on their way out to sea and home to the United States. The only casualty in the exchange of fire was a Confederate mule, although one U.S. soldier was killed in the retreat ceremony after the battle.
A South Carolina flag bearing the palmetto tree was then raised over Fort Sumter. It would later be replaced by the First National Flag of the Confederacy, also known as the "Stars and Bars."
8. This event would be Lincoln's call to arms for the United States. He would state that the South had fired on the United States flag. This was in an effort to obtain support from the general public within the United States, as previously, the general public of the North had felt that they should allow the South to leave the Union in peace. Most felt that it would be unlawful to try to coerce the Southern States to remain in the Union if it was against their will.
Without his creating of the Fort Sumter incident there would have been very little, if any, support out of the North for an invasion of the South. Lincoln had successfully coerced the Confederate States into firing on Fort Sumter, giving the United States the role of innocence that he desired. Several U.S. officials had something to say about the incident and the events that led to it: Gideon Welles, U.S. Secretary of the Navy; "There was not a man in the Cabinet that did not know that an attempt to reinforce Sumter would be the first blow of war. Of all the Cabinet, Blair only is in favor of reinforcing Sumter."
William Seward, U.S. Secretary of State: "Even preparation to reinforce will precipitate war. I would instruct Anderson to return from Sumter." Lincoln had sent a note to each member of the Cabinet, asking advice about holding Fort Sumter. Two may be said to have voted for it. Blair favored it; Chase was doubtful. He said, "I will oppose any attempt to reinforce Sumter, if it means war," but the others voted decidedly against it. Lincoln did not call a Cabinet meeting, nor did he call upon Congress. He knew that neither would favor war.
YMOS,
Thea
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