was identical to President Lincoln's; send a ship with men and supplies.
Walt
No. Buchanan sent a single civilian vessle with men and supplies on a run that was supposed to quietly dock at Sumter and drop off its supplies without further disturbence. The secret mission was discovered by a newspaper reporter, causing the ship to be met and turned back with great embarrassment. Realizing his error while simultaneously desiring not to provoke a war, Buchanan did not send any further expeditions.
Lincoln by contrast and acting with full hindsight of Buchanan's failed expedition, dispatched the navy fleet with explicit instructions to fight their way in and start a war while doing so.