[moehoward]

"There is a good LEGAL argument that the CSA or any state could succeed "

Yep. Plenty.

"....but when the State of South Carolina fired on Ft Sumter that was caucus belli."

Seems a more prudent approach would have been to deal with South Carolina's indiscretions solus.

[Bidimus1]

Any number of solutions MIGHT have been tried, but as a matter of historical not, when WAR is declared by ACTION the rebuttal is seldom one of WORDS.