Source, please. The order to fire on Fort Sumter did not occur until Lincoln sent an armed fleet down to invade South Carolina's territorial waters.
March 3, 1861, the day before Lincoln's inauguration, was a Sunday. Davis probably went to church. Beauregard arrived in Charleston on March 3 to assume command of Confederate forces there. Perhaps that is what you meant.
The Confederate Congress passed a law setting up a provisional army for the defense of the country on February 28, 1861 ("An Act to raise provisional forces for the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes"). The Confederate Congress was setting up the details of that army on March 4. That is what countries do for their self defense. It wasn't until after Lincoln's March 4 inauguration speech that the Confederates knew that Lincoln really was going to do things that would result in war -- steal tariff revenues of the South and occupy the South by maintaining armed forts within their borders (bold and italics below as in original Gazette & Sentinel of Plaquemine, Louisiana on March 9, 1861).
Latest from Montgomery
War Considered Inevitable -- The Standing Army -- the War Strength
Montgomery, March 5th -- Since the receipt of the Inaugural address of Mr. Lincoln, it is universally conceded here that war between the Confederate States and the United States is inevitable. Mr. Benjamin said last night, that in his opinion, there would be a clash of arms within thirty days.
Mr. Conrad concurred in this view of the aspect of affairs. The standing army of the Confederate States will be fixed at ten thousand men. Congress is now engaged in organizing the army. Of course, in case of hostilities, the number of men put in the field will be greater. It is calculated that the states now composing the Confederacy can place 80,000 on a movable war-footing.
As a result, the Confederate Congress passed on March 6 a law that allowed Davis to call up to 100,000 volunteers to defend the Confederacy. It was titled, "An Act to provide for the Public Defence." It said, in part:
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That in order to provide speedily forces to repel invasion, maintain the rightful possession of the Confederate States of America in every portion of territory belonging to each State, and to secure the public tranquility and independence against threatened assault, the President be, and he is hereby authorized to employ the militia, military and naval forces of the Confederate States of America, and to ask for and accept the services of any number of volunteers, not exceeding one hundred thousand, who may offer their services, either as cavalry, mounted riflemen, artillery or infantry, in such proportion of these several arms as he may deem expedient, to serve for twelve months after they shall be mustered into service, unless sooner discharged.
The South correctly believed that they could legally secede from the Union. They were simply exercising the understandings of the NY, VA, and RI ratifiers of the Constitution that their states/people could reassume their governance if it comported to their happiness. Did you ever find statements from other states at the time of ratification of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that said the NY, VA, and RI ratifiers were wrong?
The obvious and appropriate warning from Lincoln: firing on Union forces meant war.
Governor Pickens had told Lincoln's messenger Lamon in March that no warship would be allowed in the harbor for any purpose. Yet Lincoln sent them.
My source for most of this data is Fredriksen's Civil War Almanac.
One entry for March 3, 1861 says:
"President Jefferson Davis appoints General Pierre G.T. Beauregard commander of Confederate forces in the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina. He is instructed to prepare for military action against the Federal garrison sequestered inside Fort Sumter in the harbor."
rustbucket quoting Louisiana Gazette & Sentinal:
"Montgomery, March 5th -- Since the receipt of the Inaugural address of Mr. Lincoln, it is universally conceded here that war between the Confederate States and the United States is inevitable. Mr. Benjamin said last night, that in his opinion, there would be a clash of arms within thirty days."
Presumably, "Mr. Benjamin" was Judah P. Benjamin of Louisiana, formerly a US Senator, then the Confederacy's Attorney General, later in 1861 Secretary of War, and in 1862 Secretary of State. He was a man much respected by President Davis and others for his good judgment. After the war made a harrowing escape to England, died in France in 1884.
Now just think about what this article says. No major shots have yet been fired, no battles fought, no one yet, so far as we know, has been killed. And yet the Confederate Attorney General, one of Davis' most trusted men, announces publicly that "war is inevitable," and within 30 days. He was only off by a few days.
And why was war "inevitable"? Because the Union invaded the South? No. Because the Union had fought back against Southern seizures of Federal forts? No. Because there had been a battle of military forces? No. Because Union and Southern forces were already killing each other? No. Because the Union was already collecting taxes on Southern trade? No.
The alleged reason war seemed "inevitable" within a month on March 5, 1861, was because of the tone of Lincoln's March 4 Inaugural speech. The South didn't like it. But Davis had already ordered, on March 3, for preparations to force surrender of Fort Sumter -- force which Davis knew full well was war.
Why did Davis order preparations for war against Fort Sumter on March 3? Well, I have a theory -- or rather, a matter of opinion, a best guess, if you will. Possibly the occasion will arise to explain it...
rustbucket: "The South correctly believed that they could legally secede from the Union.
I will certainly grant you this much: many in the South incorrectly believed they could legally and peacefully secede. A study of history and of the Constitution itself would have shown them their errors.
"They were simply exercising the understandings of the NY, VA, and RI ratifiers of the Constitution that their states/people could reassume their governance if it comported to their happiness.
Especially, they would have learned that those "signing statements" by NY, VA and RI which did not make it into the Bill of Rights were REJECTED by our Founders.
"Did you ever find statements from other states at the time of ratification of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that said the NY, VA, and RI ratifiers were wrong?"
Yes, the Bill of Rights itself -- it includes many of those "signing statement" conditions, but NOTHING refering to "powers of government may be reassumed by the people." Point is this: our Founders carefully reviewed and accepted many of the modifications to the Constitution proposed by some states. But NOT any language that could be read as suggesting a "right of secession."
rustbucket: "Governor Pickens had told Lincoln's messenger Lamon in March that no warship would be allowed in the harbor for any purpose. Yet Lincoln sent them."
And not the first warning, by far:
Jan 14, 1861: "The South Carolina legislature summarily declares that any Union attempt to reinforce Fort Sumter is tantamount to war."
But President Buchanan had already told SC envoys on January 13, and again on February 5 that Fort Sumter would not be surrendered.
Obviously, since it could not be surrendered, it had to be resupplied, and both sides knew it.
And just suppose, for sake of argument, that someday I were to tell you that you must not set foot outside your own house, for any purpose. And just suppose you ignore my warning, and walk around outside your house, which I declare to be an "act of war," and open fire on you.
Which of us, under those circumstances would be responsible for the resulting conflagration? C'mon, tell the truth. ;-)