Also, on April 6, 1861 Lincoln ordered federal ships to Charleston harbor to support Sumter’s defiance of South Carolina’s demand to evacuate. On April 11, 1861, one of those ships, the “Harriet Lane” or “Harriet Lee” (I can’t remember which) fired on the Confederate ship “Nashville” in Charleston Harbor. The next day, Beauregard ordered the shelling of Sumter.
The Harriet Lane fired on an unflagged ship approaching them. One shot was fired across their bow as challenge, they raised the US flag and continued on their way. That they didn’t enter Charleston harbor was simply because Sumter was already being shelled and no merchantt captain in his right mind was going to sail into that.
They were there to land supplies for the garrison that the South was trying to starve into surrender.
On April 11, 1861, one of those ships, the “Harriet Lane” or “Harriet Lee” (I can’t remember which) fired on the Confederate ship “Nashville” in Charleston Harbor. The next day, Beauregard ordered the shelling of Sumter.
The Harriet Lane stopped the Nashville and had her identify herself. Once she did she was allowed to continue into Charleston. Interestingly enough, she was promptly seized by the confederate authorities from her lawful owners, a New York shipping firm. So Southern theft took many forms.