Lincoln did. Launching that war fleet was the first act of aggression.
“WHO FIRED FIRST? Lincoln did.” - DiogenesLamp
As I wrote, none of this “He made me do it” crap! Man up and admit the truth!
The South had a choice. Lincoln did NOT launch a “war fleet”. It was a resupply mission, whose timing, goals & nature were discussed in a letter Lincoln sent to South Carolina.
The South had a choice: Attack a resupply mission. Or let the supplies through. They chose another option: Bombard the fort before the resupply mission could arrive! They bombarded a US owned & held fort. THEIR CHOICE.
They discussed options and decided to attack first. Their choice. The South DECIDED to start the war, and they knew it!