Lincoln knew damn well that if if chose to enter or resupply the fort it would cause war as he was warned about it.
One thing about Lincoln and that he was a great politician.
He forced the first shots and used slavery to keep the UK and France out of it plus using it as a moral justification seeing as those up north were getting pissed off with the war and calling for the south to go it alone
it amazes me that some still do not see this
Because of his tyrannical actions, the Illinois Butcher™ probably sits in hell.