I'm sorry, I guess I missed the part where Ft. Sumter fired on Charleston first.
And Sumter was fired on after the Federal Warship Harriet Lane blockaded the Harbor of Charleston.
We've gone around on the Harriet Lane before, with you refusing to accept that it was standard practice for revenue cutters to fire a shot across the bows of unflagged ships to make them hoist their colors. The Nashville promptly raised the stars and stripes and went on her way. Not exactly a blockade. And there's no evidence that this action was even known to the gunners of Charleston, much less the cause of their action.
Irrelevant point. Lincoln issued the call, and he was doing so to gain something.
What was FDR attempting to gain when he declared war on Japan? What was President Bush attempting to gain when he invaded Iraq? When Americans are attacked, presidents are supposed to do something. And the call for volunteers wasn't to economically oppress the south and take control of their natural resources. It's akin to saying Bush invaded Iraq for the oil.
I am not going to waste time speculating on that topic.
Exactly my point.
And you forgot Major Anderson's threat to the people to use the guns to close down the harbor.
And you forget the direct warnings of both the Governor of South Carolina and the Confederate government that if any UNION military attempt was made to enter Charleston harbor, it would be taken as an act of war, and that self-defense would be initiated.
"The Nashville promptly raised the stars and stripes and went on her way. Not exactly a blockade."
There is well documented evidence that on arrival, the Union force blockaded shipping.
“The steamer Nashville from New York [merchant steamer] and a number of merchant vessels reached the bar and awaited the result of the bombardment, giving indications to those inside of a large naval fleet off the harbor.” G. V. Fox, O. R. N., IV, 249; Chadwick, 333.
That is from the log of Gustavus V. Fox who was leading the incursion and was in a position to see that the 'Nashville' had not "gone on her way". So, you can drop that contention from your bag of disinformation.
And further regarding the blockade by Federal ships, here:
STEAMER BALTIC, New York, April 19, 1861.
SIR: I sailed from New York in this vessel Tuesday morning, the 10th instant, having dispatched one steam-tug, the Uncle Ben, the evening previous to rendezvous off Charleston. The Yankee, another chartered tug, followed us to the Hook, and I left instructions to send on the Freeborn .
We arrived off Charleston the 12th instant, at 3 a.m., and found only the Harriet Lane. Weather during the whole time a gale. At 7 a.m. the Pawnee arrived, and, according to his orders, Captain Rowan anchored twelve miles east of the light, to await the arrival of the Powhatan....
However, the Powhatan and tugs not coming, Captain Rowan seized an ice schooner and offered her to me, which I accepted, and Lieutenant Hudson, of the Army, several Navy officers, and plenty of volunteers agreed to man the vessel, and go in with me the night of the 13th.
That is documented evidence that the Union warships were there, and had seized at least one civilian ship trying to enter the harbor.
That is a blockade, so there is another one of your silly contentions that can be discarded.
"And there's no evidence that this action was even known to the gunners of Charleston, much less the cause of their action."
That is flat out BS! They all knew that the ships were on the way, and they knew when they arrived.
Here from the documents of the time:
4/7/1861 News of Lincoln’s decision to send a relief naval task force to Sumter was published in the Northern newspapers. Charleston, South Carolina newspapers picked up the story that a US fleet was sailing for Charleston and Florida. The northern newspapers were printing the story that the fleet was on the way. The entire South knew that ships were headed for Charleston and Florida.
And here is another piece of information you do not have.
On the evening of April 11th, the first ship of the Federal Naval expedition, which was to ostensibly reinforce and supply Fort Sumter, arrived outside the harbor. Observers on the barrier islands had discovered the Harriet Lane laying outside Charleston Bar, battling with a storm.
"And the call for volunteers wasn't to economically oppress the south and take control of their natural resources."
Finally, the last in your long list of BS commentary.
Here is one of many quotes that expresses the thought of the time:
“At once shut down every Southern port, destroy its commerce, and bring utter ruin on the Confederate States.”
And another:
"Our federal treasury is now empty, or will be, on the 4th of March, relying on daily supplies from imposts, which will be reduced fifty per cent by the loss of our southern exports. Our federal treasury could not count on more than twenty-five millions a year from imposts after the South had left us. We would therefore have at once to resort to income, poll, and every other sort of taxation, to keep up our present expensive machinery--not to speak of the conduct of an offensive war."
And here, from the only person that had the power to conduct war:
When offered advice to adhere to a peaceful course, (by Dr. Fuller of Baltimore)‘Let the country know that you are disposed to recognize the Southern Confederacy,and peace will instantly take the place of anxiety and suspense and war may be averted.’
‘And what is to become of the revenue?’ rejoined Lincoln, ‘I shall have no government, no resources!’