That is plainly laughable. You can not have read anything about Sumter and have made such a silly claim. The measley 3-ship re-supply convoy had neither enough firepower on the ships nor enough men to "assert control" over Charleston harbor. The CSA had it completely ringed with heavy artillery and manned by over 10,000 troops under Boreguard's command. The only thing Lincoln hoped to accomplish was to re-supply a starving garrison, keep the Stars and Stripes over Sumter, and to maintain the crisis at the status quo hoping for some sort of resolution. It was a political objective, not a military objective.
But the status quo was what terrified Jeff Davis and the fire-eaters. They understood they had to get the Upper South to jump to their side or their silly little banana republic that had nothing but slaves and cotton balls would have collapsed in a matter of months when the harsh fiscal realities of what they jumped into began to sink in. The only way change the dynamics was to force Lincoln to take military action and then appeal to "Southern solidarity" against "Yankee aggression" to get the wealthier, more populous Upper South on their side. Once the flag was fired on, Lincoln had no option but to respond by calling for volunteers from the states.
Davis and the Charleston lunatics got exactly what they wanted --- war. Even Robert Toombs called Davis' decision lunacy and he understood what would happen in the end.
NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 5, 1861. Captain SAMUEL MERCER,
Commanding U. S. S. Powhatan, New York:
SIR: The United States steamers Powhatan, Pocahontas, and Harriet Lane will compose a naval force, under your command, to be sent to the vicinity of Charleston, S. C., for the purpose of aiding in carrying out the objects of an expedition of which the War Department has charge.
The primary object of the expedition is to provision Fort Sumter, for which purpose the War Department will furnish the necessary transports. Should the authorities at Charleston permit the fort to be supplied, no further particular service will be required of the force under your command, and after being satisfied that supplies have been received at the fort, the Powhatan, Pocahontas, and Harriet Lane will return to New York, and the Pawnee to Washington.
Should the authorities at Charleston, however, refuse to permit or attempt to prevent the vessel or vessels having supplies on board from entering the harbor, or from peaceably proceeding to Fort Sumter, you will protect the transports or boats of the expedition in the object of their mission-disposing of your force in such manner as to open the way for their ingress and afford, so far as practicable, security to the men and boats, and repelling by force, if necessary, all obstructions towards provisioning the fort and re-enforcing it; for in case of resistance to the peaceable primary object of the expedition a re-enforcement of the garrison will also be attempted. These purposes will be under the supervision of the War Department, which has charge of the expedition. The expedition has been intrusted to Captain G. V. Fox, with whom you will put yourself in communication, and co-operate with him to accomplish and carry into effect its object.
You will leave New York with the Powhatan in time to be off Charleston Bar, ten miles distant from and due east of the light-house, on the morning of the 11th instant, there to await the arrival of the transport or transports with troops and stores. The Pawnee and Pocahontas will be ordered to join you there at the time mentioned, and also the Harriet Lane, which latter vessel has been placed under the control of this Department for this service.
On the termination of the expedition, whether it be peaceable or otherwise, the several vessels under your command will return to the respective ports, as above directed, unless some unforeseen circumstance should prevent.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., April 4, 1861.
Lieutenant Colonel HENRY L. SCOTT, A. D. C., New York:
SIR: This letter will be landed to you by Captain G. V. Fox, ex-officer of the Navy, and a gentleman of high standing, as well as possessed of extraordinary nautical ability. He is charged by high authority here with the command of an expedition, under cover of certain ships of war, whose object is to re-enforce Fort Sumter.
To embark with Captain Fox you will cause a detachment of recruits, say about two hundred, to be immediately organized at Fort Columbus, with a competent number of officers, arms, ammunition, and subsistence. A large surplus of the latter-indeed, as great as the vessels of the expedition can take-with other necessaries, will be needed for the augmented garrison of Fort Sumter.
The subsistence and other supplies should be assorted like those which were provided by you and Captain Ward of the Navy for a former expedition. Consult Captain Fox and Major Eaton on the subject, and give all necessary orders in my name to fit out the expedition, except that the hiring of vessels will be left to others.
Some fuel must be shipped. Oil, artillery implements, fuses, cordage, slow-march, mechanical levers, and gins, &c., should also be put on board.
Consult, also, if necessary, confidentially, Colonel Tompkins and Major Thornton.
Respectfully, yours,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Much to the contrary. There exists an order in The Lincoln's collected works for the delivery of signal flags for a military purpose during the first week of April 1861. Supporting records pertaining to Anderson's command give a strong indication that the flags were for delivery to the fort in order that they could coordinate militarily after the arrival of his fleet. Additionally the orders to the commanders within that fleet indicate very clearly that a coordinated military effort was to take place in the inevitable event that they were stopped from entering Charleston harbor.
The measley 3-ship re-supply convoy had neither enough firepower on the ships nor enough men to "assert control" over Charleston harbor.
Nonsense. That "re-supply convoy" consisted of three heavily armed warships, plus the Lane which would have joined upon their arrival. The intent of the ships, indicated in the orders to the captains of those vessles, was to coordinate a military exercise of force between themselves and with assistance from the fort's batteries in order to permit them to reach the fort, resupply it, increase its garrison, and drop off ammunition in preparation for its military defense. A coordinated plan of naval intrusion under cover of the Sumter's guns and out of range from most of the mainland forts was perfectly feasible in scope, anticipated by the confederates, and ordered by The Lincoln.