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Now, you have changed your argument. Yesterday, you said Lincoln wanted peace... was not looking for a fight.

I'm not changing anything. Lincoln wasn't looking for war but what choices did he have? Of course, you would say he could have surrendered Sumter. But what would that have solved? Rebel focus would have immediately switched to Fort Pickens and then Fort Jefferson until there wasn't anything left to surrender. And at that point, having seized everything they wanted, what was left for the sides to talk about and what position could the U.S. have negotiated from? If there was going to be a negotiated settlement to the situation then Lincoln had to take his stand. He wasn't about to allow the garrison in Sumter to be starved into surrender, so he chose to resupply in the least provocative manner he could. He informed Governor Pickens of his intent and left the question of war or continued status quo in their hands. They chose war. So if anyone leaped into war with a shrug of their shoulders it was the South.

Let me restate the debate we were having on Tuesday: I said that Lincoln knew full well that if he sailed into the harbor he would have a war.

You didn't believe he did because he told the South that he was going to reprovision the forts and why do that if you wanted war. Now Hurlbut's statement has been introduced. Hurlbut says, he told Lincoln that if you reprovision the forts, you have a war for that is what the South wants.

Let me repeat: this is the debate.

I am not arguing whether Lincoln was right or wrong in what he did. (I have an opinion on that but don't assume you know it... I just don't want it to get in the way of the true debate we are having) I am not arguing choices, etc.

In the light of both Lamon and Hurlbut's statements, and what he was told by commissioners, governors, etc., and what he read in both northern and southern newspapers... did he know that his actions would bring about a war?

If the answer is yes than my argument stands...The South was itching for a fight, and Lincoln gave it to them. If the answer is no than Lincoln was the stupidest man to ever occupy the White House for he could not properly discern the signs of the time.

The rest of your post is not germane to the debate we are having.