Lincoln chose not to respond with force to the Confederate threat to Fort Sumter primarily to avoid provoking a larger conflict that could lead to widespread war. He aimed to maintain a sense of national unity and hoped to avoid alienating the border states. Additionally, Lincoln believed that reinforcing the fort without provocation would demonstrate the federal government's commitment without escalating tensions unnecessarily. This cautious approach ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War when Confederate forces attacked the fort.
He wasn't reluctant to defend Sumter, but the attack was a surprise and began the war so he needed troops.
The Battle of Fort Sumter ws April 12-13 1861
To assert their sovereignty over South Carolina.
It was an American attack on a confederate military base.
Beauregard (on the orders of his President, Jefferson Davis.)
1861
When the Confederacy took control of Fort Sumter in April 1861, President Abraham Lincoln responded by calling for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion. He viewed the Confederate attack as an insurrection against the Union and believed it was necessary to maintain federal authority. Lincoln's decision to call for troops marked the beginning of the Civil War, as it galvanized both the Union and Confederate sides to prepare for armed conflict.
Confederate army
1861
He was trying to demonstrate that the whole of South Carolina was Confederate territory.
He wasn't reluctant to defend Sumter, but the attack was a surprise and began the war so he needed troops.
To assert Confederate sovereignty over Charleston Harbour as part of South Carolina.
The Confederate attack on Ft Sumter
The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter began on April 12, 1861. The fort was forced to surrender on the 14th of April. This led President Lincoln to call for 75,000 volunteers to end the Southern rebellion. Upon that order, four more states joined the Confederacy, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee. The attack on Fort Sumter led directly to the US Civil War.
Lincoln decided to send supplies to Charleston in the first week of April. When the federal relief expedition arrived at Fort Sumter on April 12, Confederate forces opened fire, and the undermanned and unprepared federal troops were forced to surrender the next day.
The Battle of Fort Sumter ws April 12-13 1861
To assert their sovereignty over South Carolina.