And as you well know, many in Congress rightfully believed that war was just around the corner and expected without any reason for doubt that they would be immediately reconvened if it broke out while they were away. In fact they spoke of this almost daily in the March 1861 special session of the senate.
War broke out not long after the Senate went home, in large part because that is when Lincoln started actively agitating over the southern forts. He got his war only two weeks later yet waited until July to bring Congress back. The only reasonable explanation is that he did not want Congress there to interfere while he was waging his war.
President Lincoln said clearly in his inaugural address that he would maintain federal property. It was no big surprise.
Walt
Can you support that in the record?
Few expected a long war. There was the one southern senator who, in this time frame, said he would wipe up all the spilled blood with a hankerchief.
President Lincoln expected really no war at all. He expected the rebellion to collapse. Later he admitted that he had not controlled events, but had been controlled by them.
Walt