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Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?

The bombardment and capture of Fort Sumter didn't move the Southerner people into action as much as Lincoln's call for troops. Fort Sumter was a political windfall for Lincoln and moved the North into action. In other words the South (as a whole) really didn't care about Fort Sumter one way or the other, it was bloodless affair. It was the revelation of Lincoln's actions towards the capture of Fort Pickens (the secret fleet) and then a call to invade the South that stirred the majority of pro-Union Southerners to become radical secessionist. If the Federals reenforced Fort Sumter President Davis would have only been politically weakened temporily because he still held Charleston and 99% of all the Federal installations in those seven states in the Confederacy. It would have bought the Confederacy time to buy more arms, and consolidate foriegn ties to let Lincoln win that fort. Without those first shots at the Fort Sumter Lincoln would not have had the political power to call for an invasion. The Amercian flag over Fort Sumter, Major Anderson and his men were martyrs to the Union and abolitionist cause, without them how could Lincoln call for an invasion? As long as the flag flew over that fort, unmolested, the small Confederacy could grow in strength, something they were doing very efficiently.

I don't believe the reenforcement of Fort Sumter would have brought down the Confederate government or dampered the young secessionist movement.

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David Upton

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Lincoln's War
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
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Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?
Re: Lincoln's War: What were the Options?