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Fort Sumter, April 12th 1861.

This was a tiny island garrison of the US Army in Charleston Harbour. The South was trying to assert their rights over it as part of the Confederacy, and fired on it.

As the North had no way of keeping the garrison supplied, it surrendered, and Lincoln called for volunteer troops.

This was the equivalent of declaring war (which he could not do, because it would have meant recognising the Confederacy as a sovereign nation.)

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13y ago

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