[DoodleDawg]

Yes indeed, and can be seen as an initiating or retaliating act, depending on your assessment of what preceded it.

Retaliating for what? What hostile act had the Sumter garrison performed prior to the bombardment? Other than not surrendering?

[smoothsailing]

To the South’s way of thinking, the garrison was the arm of a hostile power with whom a state of war already existed.

I don’t believe anyone in the garrison was killed and they all were allowed to leave peacefully the next day.

A far cry from the fire-bombing of Dresden that incinerated an estimated 27,000 civilians.

Of course in war the victor claims the moral high ground and gets to define what’s legit.

Sumter AND Dresden were legitimate acts of war, at least as far as I’m concerned.

[smoothsailing]

What hostile act had the Sumter garrison performed prior to the bombardment?

Indeed, what hostile act had the people of Dresden performed prior to the bombardment?