The federal government could not and did not own state land.
If you underpin an argument of culpability on “who fired the first shot”, then that responsibility lies with the Union Army that fired on Floridians ninety days before Ft. Sumter.
The blockades at Pensacola and Charleston predated 4:15 a.m. April 12, 1861.
“Federal law did specify the use of states’ land for coastal defense only.”
Wouldn’t Federal law be void in the matter of a seceded state? From a legal standpoint, at least? Would you find me the Federal law that states this?
“The federal government could not and did not own state land.”
Oh, really?
“Resolved, That this state do cede to the United States, all the right, title and claim of South Carolina to the site of Fort Sumter and the requisite quantity of adjacent territory, Provided, That all processes, civil and criminal issued under the authority of this State, or any officer thereof, shall and may be served and executed upon the same, and any person there being who may be implicated by law; and that the said land, site and structures enumerated, shall be forever exempt from liability to pay any tax to this state.”
There are no records that I can find of Charleston being blockaded before the Battle of Ft. Sumter. If you could find a source, I would be happy to read it.
In regards to Pensacola and Fort Barrancas occupied by Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer BEFORE Florida seceded, it was “group of local men” who fired upon the Fort in an attempt to seize it, *NOT* Union men. This incident was 10 days before Florida became Confederate. The Lieutenant had every right to occupy this Fort. Historians do not officially consider this incident to be “the first shots of the Civil War,” but it was done by the Confederates, in any case.
How could the federal government tell state governments how they should use their land for anything, much less defense? Which was a federal responsibility anyway.? The federal government could not and did not own state land.
No, they owned federal land. In the case of Fort Sumter it was land that was deeded to the federal government by act of the South Carolina legislature.
The blockades at Pensacola and Charleston predated 4:15 a.m. April 12, 1861.
If I remember correctly the Sumter relief force met a ship leaving Charleston (the Nashville?) and it was allowed to proceed. Some time prior to that the Confederate batteries fired on the Rhoda Shannon as she entered the port. No doubt there was other traffic in and out other than those two. So how could Charleston be blockaded if ships were coming and going?