Hmmm found this and was amused

[Brochgale]

Like I said - Lincoln tried to bully Davis and he was not for bullying - as was most of his cabinet. The CSA depending more on trade for its existence than the North - Davis probably assumed along with most of his cabinet that they could not leave coastal batteries in the hands of Feds under the charge of a belligerant Lincoln.
I like to think myself that delaying firing on Sumter would have somehow improved the chances of CSA finding a President from the border States but I dont see it. Whoever was President would still have to deal with the fire -eaters?
I dont think that delaying would have improved there chances of winning a war either because the underlying flaws of the CSA still existed. Also the Psychology of the States and most of the political leadership who totally misread Lincoln and his warlike tendencies - brought about no doubt by his initial weakness as President - looking over his shoulders at the schemers in his own ranks?

[TeMagic]

Like I said - Lincoln tried to bully Davis and he was not for bullying - as was most of his cabinet. The CSA depending more on trade for its existence than the North - Davis probably assumed along with most of his cabinet that they could not leave coastal batteries in the hands of Feds under the charge of a belligerant Lincoln.
I like to think myself that delaying firing on Sumter would have somehow improved the chances of CSA finding a President from the border States but I dont see it. Whoever was President would still have to deal with the fire -eaters?
I dont think that delaying would have improved there chances of winning a war either because the underlying flaws of the CSA still existed. Also the Psychology of the States and most of the political leadership who totally misread Lincoln and his warlike tendencies - brought about no doubt by his initial weakness as President - looking over his shoulders at the schemers in his own ranks?

No, leaving coastal batteries in the hands of the federals were a risk, esp. Fort Monroe and Fort Pickens. Fort Sumter on the other hand was a different situation all together. The walls of Sumter facing Charleston harbor were thin and weak. Sumter would have been promptly reduced following the commencing of hostilities. Delaying the war would have bought the confederate states more time to procure materials of war, train engines, cannons, rifles and horses.

As to the fire-eaters, I don't see the populace taking it on to start the war themselves without the blessing of their political leadership. As to finding a president from the border states, well both sides did historically But the southern president was far worse than the northern. Lincoln was a capable president with poor generals, Davis was an incompetent president with capable generals, but he choose some of the worst of them for important positions, and sent the best generals packing to some obscure posts and positions.

Still, with Toombs as provisional president, the south wouldn't have fired the first shots of the war. That, plus the fact that the majority of the political leadership of the CSA, historically, was weary of secession and wanted to preserve the union.

Still, I think much could have been done by the southern states prior to the election results of 1860 and prior to the firing of Fort Sumter. If all the governors of the southern states had had the foresight of governor A. B. Moore of Alabama, the southern war effort might have been in a much better shape, come summer and fall of 1861.

[wyrmm]

But thats the rub, there was no reason to do anything to prepare for the war, prior to the war.

[pepe4158]

hee-hee glad this post still gets some play :-)

[cobraII]

Why Longstreet waited was because he wanted more artillery brought up and when it arrived it helped decimate the three attack lines