Lincoln 2

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or in case of an attack upon the Fort.
Without waiting for the arrival of Lincoln's expedition, the Confederate authorities presented to Major Anderson a demand for Sumter's prompt evacuation, which he refused. On April 12, 1861, at dawn, the Confederate batteries in the harbour opened fire.
"Then, and thereby," Lincoln informed Congress when it met on July 4, "the assailants of the Government, began the conflict of arms." The Confederates, however, accused him of being the real aggressor. They said he had cleverly manoeuvred them into firing the first shot so as to put upon them the onus of war guilt. Though some historians have repeated this charge, it appears to be a gross distortion of the facts. Lincoln was determined to preserve the Union; to do so he thought he must take a stand against the Confederacy, and he concluded he might as well take this stand at Sumter.
Lincoln's primary aim was neither to provoke war nor to maintain peace. In preserving the Union, he would ...

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