[Me] Troops, gentlemen. Lincoln sent troops, after telling Governor Pickens he wasn't doing any such thing.
[You, dissembling] Read the letter again. Supplies only, if not opposed. Troops and supplies if opposed.
Yeah, really? The envelope, please. Let's look at Lincoln's actual orders, written by General Scott and endorsed by Lincoln personally:
March 29, 1861
To the Secretary of the NavyI desire that an expedition, to move by sea be go ready to sail as early as the 6th of April next, the whole according to memorandum attached: and that you co-operate with the Secretary of War for that object.
Signed: Abraham Lincoln
[Attached memorandum]
From the Navy, three ships of war, the Pocahontas, the Pawnee and the Harriet Lane; and 300 seamen, and one month's stores.
From the War Department, 200 men, ready to leave garrison; and one year's stores.
April 1, 1861 by General Scott
April 2, 1861 approved by Abraham Lincoln
To: Brevet Colonel Harvey Brown, U.S. Army[Second memo of attachment]
April 4, 1861
To: Lieut. Col. H.L. Scott, Aide de CampThis will be handed to you by Captain G.V. Fox, an ex-officer of the Navy. He is charged by authority here, with the command of an expedition (under cover of certain ships of war) whose object is, to reinforce Fort Sumter.
To embark with Captain Fox, you will cause a detachment of recruits, say about 200, to be immediately organized at fort Columbus, with competent number of officers, arms, ammunition, and subsistence, with other necessaries needed for the augmented garrison at Fort Sumter.
Signed: Winfield Scott
[Emphasis supplied]
Further notes: Fort Columbus (now renamed Fort Jay) was located on Governor's Island in New York Harbor. Also, it is worth noting that Forts Moultrie, and afterward, were in regular supply from the Charleston economy and that Anderson's men were in no need of supplies such as were carried by the flotilla from New York ordered out by Lincoln on March 29th.
The Confederate authorities, learning of the mission, then halted supplies to Fort Sumter on April 7th.
The mission was a catspaw, pure and simple.
You might want to check the facts instead of relying solely on your imagination. The Davis government ordered supplies be cut off on April 2nd.