[Non-Sequitur]

The facts belie your notions in your post. The war began on April 19th, with Lincoln's troop requests and blockade proclamation.

The facts show that the war began in the early morning of April 12th when the rebel batteries opened fire on the federal troops in Fort Sumter.

But only five days after taking the oath of office in March, Lincoln unilaterally determined that his promise not to send troops was invalid...

And when did he make this promise?

...and embarked on a clandestine mission to start the war in the South.

Jefferson Davis didn't need any prompting in order to do that.

[wolfcreek]

Some look back on incidences like this that led to the war.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_(abolitionist)