Lincoln's Trick at Sumter

[19thGeorgia]

This was from the Petersburg (VA) Express and reprinted in the April 29, 1861 issue of the New Orleans Bee-

 

[John Hartwell]

Four months of active, aggressive, often violent provocation on the part of the secessionists elicited no stronger reaction from the Union than Lincoln's appeal to "the mystic chords of memory" and "the better angels of our nature". That was Lincoln's "trick." And, they proved him right: that "In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war."

 

[Pollaco]

Thank you for bringing that bit of information to the attention of many who already knew that "secret" but pretended not to.

 

[shooter too]

Four months of active, aggressive, often violent provocation on the part of the secessionists elicited no stronger reaction from the Union than Lincoln's appeal to "the mystic chords of memory" and "the better angels of our nature". That was Lincoln's "trick." And, they proved him right: that "In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war."

'Preach it' brother! Well done.

 

[19thGeorgia]

Four months of active, aggressive, often violent provocation on the part of the secessionists elicited no stronger reaction from the Union than Lincoln's appeal to "the mystic chords of memory" and "the better angels of our nature". That was Lincoln's "trick." And, they proved him right: that "In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war."

The idea presented is Lincoln sent the "relief" ships only to provoke a conflict and never intended to aid the garrison.
That's a likely scenario.

 

[Pollaco]

It's amazing what History books don't tell you.The garrison at Fort Sumter was used as bait and the South fell right in.

 

[DanSBHawk]

The idea presented is Lincoln sent the "relief" ships only to provoke a conflict and never intended to aid the garrison.
That's a likely scenario.

As if holding a garrison hostage is not provocative in it's own right.

The responsibility for the start of the shooting rests squarely on those that began shooting.

 

[19thGeorgia]

As if holding a garrison hostage is not provocative in it's own right.

?

I think it was the garrison that made the choice to be there and were welcome to leave at any time.

 

[shooter too]

The garrison at Fort Sumter was used as bait and the South fell right in.

Not 'bait' in my view, but as a last ditch stand up fight for Union and for cooler heads to prevail. The hot-heads used it for All it was worth to bring in others.

 

[Belfoured]

As if holding a garrison hostage is not provocative in it's own right.

The responsibility for the start of the shooting rests squarely on those that began shooting.

The delusional word games never end. Of course, those arguments aren't surprising given that we increasingly live in a culture where everybody's a "victim" and not accountable for their own conduct.

 

[Pollaco]

Yeah , I suppose "bait" may have been the wrong word to use. It gives the implication that the South was the victim here. It most assuredly was not.I guess the old saying "All is fair in love and war" stands true. The trick worked.

 

[jackt62]

Glad to see that conspiracy theories were alive and well in 1861.

 

[Belfoured]

Glad to see that conspiracy theories were alive and well in 1861.

Not to mention the fact that if that was Lincoln's "trick" he wasn't dealing with a very bright set of "marks".

 

[19thGeorgia]

Not to mention the fact that if that was Lincoln's "trick" he wasn't dealing with a very bright set of "marks".

"In this way have they imposed upon the Northern people and aroused them by their crafty appeals and false representations to the desired pitch of indignation. It was a smart trick, but an ineffably base one. They have accomplished their infernal purpose, and are now glorifying in their success."

...and 400,000 died.

 

[DanSBHawk]

"In this way have they imposed upon the Northern people and aroused them by their crafty appeals and false representations to the desired pitch of indignation. It was a smart trick, but an ineffably base one. They have accomplished their infernal purpose, and are now glorifying in their success."

...and 400,000 died.

Perhaps he hadn't noticed that the southern people had already been aroused to a certain pitch. In Charleston, they were certainly "glorifying in their success" at starting the war.

 

[Belfoured]

Perhaps he hadn't noticed that the southern people had already been aroused to a certain pitch. In Charleston, they were certainly "glorifying in their success" at starting the war.

The real "trick" was pulled by Andy Jackson when he apparently duped the South Carolina legislature into surrendering all "right, title and claim" to Fort Sumter/its land on December 21, 1836.

 

[Belfoured]

"In this way have they imposed upon the Northern people and aroused them by their crafty appeals and false representations to the desired pitch of indignation. It was a smart trick, but an ineffably base one. They have accomplished their infernal purpose, and are now glorifying in their success."

...and 400,000 died.

400,000 died.

Patriots who died in the service of the United States and whose sacrifice freed ten times their number as a result.

 

[29thWisCoG]

Lincoln wanted a civil war and he got it!

 

[GwilymT]

Lincoln wanted a civil war and he got it!

Lincoln wanted to preserve the Union and defend the constitution and he did. He neither asked for, nor sought war. For months prior to Sumpter rebels had been using force to steal federal property - prior to Lincoln taking office.

As a bonus, he also got to end slavery!

The whole time tricking those poor poor rebels into it!

Imagine if instead of entering into armed rebellion against the government the southern slave power would have abided by the results of the election- no war. Heck, they would have probably been able to keep their peculiar institution for at least another decade or so.... though they'd never give that up without a fight.

 

[rpkennedy]

Honestly, the Confederates needed the fight at Sumter to unite as much, if not more than Lincoln did. Without shots being fired, the Confederacy was a weak rump state with as many slaves as free people for their population. Until war became imminent, the border states were content to wait out both sides but fighting forced them to take a side which brough North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas into the fold. Without those states (especially the first three), the CSA was going to be in trouble.

Ryan