Lincoln knew that not abandoning Fort Sumter would guarantee a fight.

[Old Movie Fan]

Everyone likes to blame the south for starting the hostilities, but
Fort Sumter was encircled by South Carolina and could never have been
defended anyway.
Lincoln even told Virginia that he would abandon the fort in return
for a pledge that Virginia would remain in the Union. At the time, it
was Virginia that was trying to find a solution to bring the confederate
states back into the union. They might have pulled it off if Lincoln
had given them the chance.
Seward had been promising Virginia all along that Lincoln would
abandon the fort, and the entire cabinet supported this action.

It was only Lincoln who was willing to risk everything on this one
issue and it sparked the beginning of the deadly conflict. The South
offered generous terms and the Union forces were allowed to march out of
the fort in a very dignified manner. No one was taken prisoner.

Thought it might be nice to have something other than "Huge Tits" posted
at this site.

[Geoff Blankenmeyer]

Post by Old Movie Fan
Everyone likes to blame the south for starting the hostilities, but
Fort Sumter was encircled by South Carolina and could never have been
defended anyway.

Yep and he baited the South into a fight just to kill 625,000 men.

Post by Old Movie Fan
Lincoln even told Virginia that he would abandon the fort in return
for a pledge that Virginia would remain in the Union. At the time, it
was Virginia that was trying to find a solution to bring the confederate
states back into the union. They might have pulled it off if Lincoln
had given them the chance.
Seward had been promising Virginia all along that Lincoln would
abandon the fort, and the entire cabinet supported this action.
It was only Lincoln who was willing to risk everything on this one
issue and it sparked the beginning of the deadly conflict.

Ever hear the word hyperbole. That is all your post amounts to. Have
fun with it.

The South

Post by Old Movie Fan
offered generous terms and the Union forces were allowed to march out of
the fort in a very dignified manner. No one was taken prisoner.

You dont give in to insurrectionists and traitors. You beat them down
if they refuse to return to the laws of the land. The Sesch stuck their
collective heads in the lion's mouth and now their ancestors whine about
getting bit.

Post by Old Movie Fan
Thought it might be nice to have something other than "Huge Tits" posted
at this site.

At least the huge tits made sense.

[Old Movie Fan]

My comments concerned just the first few weeks of Lincoln's first
term.
Call it Hyperbole if you want, but historians always point to the
Confederate's attack of Fort Sumter as the cause of the Civil War.
Since Lincoln began his term with just a handful of states succeeded,
a cooler head might have allowed the efforts made by Virginia to
preserve the union to run their full course.
Lincoln could have had time to assure the South that he was not out
to abolish slavery, only to contain it. The South already knew that the
days of slavery were dwindling anyway.
Secession was no novel idea, the Republicans had considered it after
the Dred Scott decision.

There are fruitful discussions, and then there is condemnation of
points of view by others.
Your response to what I wrote confirms that you are of the latter
persuasion.

Rich Wagner

[Geoff Blankenmeyer]

Post by Old Movie Fan
My comments concerned just the first few weeks of Lincoln's first
term.
Call it Hyperbole if you want, but historians always point to the
Confederate's attack of Fort Sumter as the cause of the Civil War.
Since Lincoln began his term with just a handful of states succeeded,
a cooler head might have allowed the efforts made by Virginia to
preserve the union to run their full course.

Now you are just demonstrating ignorance. Lincoln was quite patient as
Confedeates raided and attacked Federal installations under arms long
before Sumter, actions that deserved, swift and decisive retribution.
But Lincoln was patient until Crittenden broke eown and decided to draw
the line in the sand. And now its his fault the Confeds couldnt handle
the punch to tehe nose. Cry me a river.

Post by Old Movie Fan
Lincoln could have had time to assure the South that he was not out
to abolish slavery, only to contain it.

Lincoln made no motion to abolish slavery so the onus was not on him.

The South already knew that the

Post by Old Movie Fan
days of slavery were dwindling anyway.

But refused to let anybody begin the process and decided that war was
their only option.

Post by Old Movie Fan
Secession was no novel idea,

Nonsequitur.

Post by Old Movie Fan
There are fruitful discussions, and then there is condemnation of
points of view by...

fools

Post by Old Movie Fan
Your response to what I wrote confirms that you are of the latter
persuasion.

I care less of persuading a fool.

Post by Old Movie Fan
Rich Wagner

a fool