[central_va]

In case you missed it in Lincoln's own words:

insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war

[Old Teufel Hunden]

You do know that during Buchanan’s administration in January 1861 Confederate General P.T. Buearegard and the South Carolina militia fired on the Star of the West ship? Before Lincoln ever became President. That does not sound like the South was trying to negotiate peace.