Secretary of State Seward certainly foresaw The reaction, and warned Lincoln such in a cabinet meeting transcribed March 29, 1861:
"Sec. of State.
1st. The dispatch of an expedition to supply or reinforce Sumter would provoke an attack and so involve a
war at that point.
The fact of preparation for such an expedition would inevitably transpire, and would therefor precipitate the war -- and probably defeat the object.
I do not think it wise to
provoke a civil war beginning at Charleston and in defence rescue of an untenable position.
Therefore I advise against the expedition in every view--
I would call in Capt. M. C. Meigs
1 forthwith. Aided by his counsel I would at once and at every cost prepare for a war at Pensacola and Texas, to be taken however only as a consequence of maintaining the possession and authority of the United States--
I would instruct Maj. Anderson to retire from Sumter, forthwith--
William H Seward
March 29th.
[
Endorsed by Lincoln:]
In cabinet"
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mal:@field(DOCID+@lit(d0847000))