[DoodleDawg]

My friend's claim was that Lincoln was given the option to quietly resupply the fort but chose not to do so. He deliberately sent a message to the Governor informing him that he WOULD resupply the fort and my friend believes that Lincoln knew this would prompt an attack on the Fort because a message had shortly before been sent to Major Anderson stating that he had permission to surrender if necessary.

So your friend thinks that trying to sneak supplies into Sumter under the cover of darkness, I assume, and under the noses of the rebel batteries would not be seen as a aggressive act but informing the governor ahead of time that a supply effort was going to be made in broad daylight and that only food and supplies would be landed was? Is he serious about that?

He said his history professor had told him that it was a very clever and deliberate tactic for Lincoln to get the war he needed to reverse secession.

So Lincoln set a trap for the rebels and they fell right into it. Wasn't very bright of them, was it?

My friend believes that Lincoln knew his announcement would provoke the hot heads in South Carolina to give him the tool he needed to win, and they did. I don't know.

I submit to your friend that the hot heads in South Carolina needed no provocation to begin a war. Only an excuse.

[DiogenesLamp]

So Lincoln set a trap for the rebels and they fell right into it. Wasn't very bright of them, was it?

No, it was the height of folly. One of them even tried to warn the others that this would turn the good will they had from the North into a thousand stinging hornets, or some such.

No, that attack played into Lincoln's hand, whereas a longstanding peace would have played into theirs.