An Unbreakable Union

An Unbreakable Union

As Abraham Lincoln was sworn into the office of President of the United States of America, the nation was deeply divided, with several states having seceded to form the Confederate States of America. He promised to “preserve, protect, and defend” (Doc #1) the Union and its federal forts and property in the Confederacy that were being dismantled and appropriated by the South. Lincoln further promised in his address that “no State can lawfully [leave] the Union” (Doc #1) and that he would reassert the laws of the Union in the rebellious states. What role did Lincoln take in the events between his inauguration and the outbreak of the Civil War? Was he preparing for peace, or planning for war? Lincoln took a direct role in the events leading to the outbreak of hostilities. Not only did he attempt to negotiate a peaceful resolution and open dialogues with Southern officials, he tried to rein in his advisors who challenged his positions, and cemented his administration’s stance on the question of secession.

Prior to Lincoln’s inauguration in March, Lincoln played direct and indirect roles in the events that shaped the beginning of a civil war. Although the future cabinet members around him urged him to make statements to convince the South he had no intentions of abolishing slavery in their states, he did nothing of the kind, refusing to make public statements until he was sworn into office. He refused to do this because he was already on record for saying he had no constitutional powers (until he was made president) yet, and because he felt it would be a sign of weakness to be compelled to repeat his sentiments over and again, and to be kept on the defensive: “they would seize upon almost any letter I could wri...

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...secession, he was prepared for the possibility of war, but had no plans to attack the South. He made offers with the South to trade the forts for assurances of peace, and even ordered his men to surrender if it would save their lives. While Lincoln’s decision to supply the fort with provisions was a provocation and led to a Confederate attack, Lincoln never made the order to fire on the South first, and he took steps, continuously, to avoid a conflict and try to reason with the Southern government.

Lincoln had no plans for war, and his reinforcement of Fort Sumter was to affirm its status as a federal fort, not to force the Confederacy into starting a war. Both sides had an aim: whether it was to gain complete independence or pull back the secessionist states into the Union, neither was willing to back down, and the responsibility for the war rests on both sides.