I think about this and I wonder: “Why at Fort Sumter?
Many other federal properties had already come under Confederate control.
History does not record any shots fired at:
South Carolina seizures:
United States Arsenal at Charleston
Fort Moultrie
Fort Johnson
Castle Pinckney
Georgia seizures:
United States Arsenal at Augusta
Dahlonega Mint
Fort Jackson
Fort Pulaski
Oglethorpe Barracks
Alabama seizures:
United States Arsenal at Mount Vernon
Fort Morgan
Fort Gaines
Mississippi seizure:
Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island
Florida seizures:
United States Arsenal at Apalachicola
Pensacola Navy Yard (Warrington Ship Yard)
Fort Marion
Fort McRee
Fort Barrancas and Barrancas Barracks
Louisiana seizures:
United States Arsenal at Baton Rouge
New Orleans Mint
United States paymaster’s office at New Orleans
Fort Jackson
Fort Saint Philip
Fort Pike
Fort Macomb
Baton Rouge Barrack
Texas seizures:
United States Arsenal at San Antonio
Fort Clark
Camp Verde
San Antonio Barracks
Arkansas seizures:
United States Arsenal at Little Rock
United States ordnance stores at Napoleon
United States subsistence stores at Pine Bluff
Fort Smith
North Carolina seizures:
United States Arsenal at Fayetteville
Charlotte Mint
Fort Johnston
Fort Caswell
Fort Macon
Missouri seizures:
United States Arsenal at Liberty
United States ordnance stores at Kansas City
It almost happened at Ft. Pickens in Pensacola. Lieutenant David Porter tried to open fire on the Confederates, but was prevented from doing so by Captain Meigs who interposed his ship between Porter and the Confederates.
Porter said he almost decided to ram him, but then he decided to stop.
Porter was trying to start the war, and he was acting under direct hand carried and secret orders from Abraham Lincoln.
And yes, none of the other events devolved into fighting.