Lincoln had no intention of avoiding it. He intended for it to happen. Had he intended to avoid it, he could have simply carried through on his decision to evacuate Ft. Sumter as the "National Republican" Newspaper reported at the time.
Third article at the top left.
Lincoln sent a war fleet with deliberate orders to attack the Confederates currently surrounding Ft. Sumter. It is the arrival of this fleet that precipitated the attack on Ft. Sumter.
Found a whole new crew to spout your revisionist nonsense to I see. How nice for you.