How many of the surviving old southern families wished that the generals had stayed in charge and defused Lincoln’s setup for an “attack” by hotheads in artillery. It should be noted that Beauregard gave the OK for the artillery to fire away.
There was every possibility from people who knew back then, for a deal to be worked out. The people at the top economically were already doomed from cotton exports to England, because England already had other sources and began moving their Manchester mills. Things were not so rapidly known back then—it took the news a long time to travel across the Atlantic. The deal would have purchased the freedom and created a whole new demographic— without the terrible death and destruction of over 700K American lives. The reconciliation showed the re-sworn loyalty of the breakaway states (including the border states, KY, MO,Kansas etc.)
“There was every possibility from people who knew back then, for a deal to be worked out. “
Deal for what? Lincoln was never going to allow secession.