[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

And what about the federal guns, small-arms and supplies stored at the various forts, that the Southern government seized when they took the positions? Some of that good old redistribution of wealth on a gov to gov level?

I'm not commenting on the right or the wrong of either side in the war as a whole, but it is laughable and absurd when Southerners twist themselves into pretzels claiming that the attack on Fort Sumter was some how, some way, an act of defense. A major moving his 80-odd outfit around between several forts under his command is not an act of war, or aggression, especially in the face of thousands of Southern troops encircling the area. The South fired the first shot, the South seized supplies and fortifications. Just own it and stop pretending up is down.

[ought-six]

...thousands of Southern troops encircling the area. The South fired the first shot, the South seized supplies and fortifications.

Too funny! Thousands of troops? Such hyperbole! You do know, I assume, that there were more federal troops -- which includes federal naval assets -- in the vicinity of Ft. Sumter than CSA troops, don't you? And I'm talking about formal military troops, not civilians with their dander up.