TheorderinterferingwiththeNavyDepartmentwasdesignedtocheckmatethetitularheadofthedepartment。Furthermore，SewardhadhadtheamazingcoolnesstoassumethatLincolnwouldcertainlyaccepthisThoughtsandthatthesimplePresidentneednothereinafterbeconsultedaboutdetails。HeaimedtocircumventWellesandtomakesurethattheSumterexpedition，whethersailingorderswereissuedornot，shouldberenderedinnocuous。ThewarshipPowhatan，whichwasbeinggotreadyforseaattheBrooklynNavyYard，wasintendedbyWellesfortheSumterexpedition。OneofthoseunreaddespatchessignedbyLincoln，assignedittothePickensexpedition。WhenthesailingordersfromWelleswerereceived，thecommanderoftheSumterfleetclaimedthePowhatan。ThePickenscommanderrefusedtogiveitup。ThelattertelegraphedSewardthathisexpeditionwas“beingretardedandembarrassed“by“conflicting“ordersfromWelles。TheresultwasastormyconferencebetweenSewardandWelleswhichwasadjournedtotheWhiteHouseandbecameaconferencewithLincoln。Andthenthewholestorycameout。Lincolnplayedthescapegoat，“tookthewholeblameuponhimself，saiditwascarelessness，heedlessnessonhispart；heoughttohavebeenmorecarefulandattentive。“Butheinsistedonimmediatecorrectionofhiserror，ontherestorationofthePowhatantotheSumterfleet。Sewardstruggledhardforhisplan。Lincolnwasinflexible。AsSewardhaddirectedthepreparationofthePickensexpedition，LincolnrequiredhimtotelegraphtoBrooklynthechangeinorders。Seward，beatenbyhisenemyWelles，wasdeeplychagrined。Inhisagitationheforgottobeformal，forgotthatthepreviousorderhadgoneoutinthePresident’sname，andwiredcurtly，“GiveupthePowhatan。
Seward。“
ThisdespatchwasreceivedjustasthePickensexpeditionwassailing。ThecommanderofthePowhatanhadnowbeforehim，threeorders。Naturally，heheldthattheonesignedbythePresidenttookprecedenceovertheothers。Hewentonhisway，withhisgreatwarship，toFlorida。TheSumterexpeditionsailedwithoutanypowerfulshipofwar。Inthisstrangefashion，chanceexecutedSeward’sdesign。
LincolnhadpreviouslyinformedtheGovernorofSouthCarolinathatduenoticewouldbegiven，shouldhedecidetorelieveSumter。Wordwasnowsentthat“anattemptwillbemadetosupplyFortSumterwithprovisionsonly；andthatifsuchattemptbenotresisted，noefforttothrowinmen，armsorammunitionwillbemadewithoutfurthernotice，orincaseofanattackuponthefort。“[25]Thoughthefleetwasnotintendedtoofferbattle，itwassupposedtobestrongenoughtoforceitswayintotheharbor，shouldthereliefofSumterbeopposed。ButthepowertodosowaswhollyconditionedonthepresenceinitsmidstofthePowhatan。AndthePowhatanwasfarouttoseaonitswaytoFlorida。
AndnowitwastheturnoftheConfederategovernmenttoconfrontacrisis。It，nolessthanWashington，hadpassedthroughaperiodofdisillusion。Theassumptionuponwhichitschiefpoliticianshadbuiltsoconfidentlyhadcollapsed。TheSouthwasnotreallyaunit。ItwasnottruethatthesecessionofanyoneState，onanysortofissue，wouldcompelautomaticallythesecessionofalltheSouthernStates。NorthCarolinahadexplodedthisillusion。Virginiahadexplodedit。
TheSouthcouldnotbeunitedontheissueofslavery；itcouldnotbeunitedontheissueofsectionaldread。Itcouldbeunitedonbutoneissue-Statesovereignty，thedenialoftherightoftheFederalGovernmenttocoerceaState。ThetimehadcometodecidewhetherthecannonatCharlestonshouldfire。AsSewardhadforeseen，Montgomeryheldthetrumps；buthadMontgomerythecouragetoplaythem？TherewasamomentousdebateintheConfederateCabinet。RobertToombs，theSecretaryofState，whoserapidgrowthincomprehensionsinceDecemberformedaparalleltoLincoln’sgrowth，threwhisinfluenceonthesideoffurtherdelay。Hewouldnotinvokethat“finalargumentofkings，“theshottedcannon。“Mr。
President，“heexclaimed，“atthistime，itissuicide，murder，andwillloseuseveryfriendattheNorth。Youwillinstantlystrikea：hornet’snestwhichextendsfrommountaintoocean，andlegionsnowquietwillswarmoutandstingustodeath。Itisunnecessary；itputsusinthewrong；itisfatal。“ButToombsstoodaloneintheCabinet。OrdersweresenttoCharlestontoreduceFortSumter。Beforedawn，Apriltwelfth，thefirstshotwasfired。TheflagoftheUnitedStateswashauleddownontheafternoonofthethirteenth。’Meanwhiletherelievingfleethadarrived——withoutthePowhatan。Bereftofitsgreatship，itcouldnotpasstheharborbatteriesandassistthefort。Itsonlyservicewastotakeoffthegarrisonwhichbythetermsofsurrenderwasallowedtowithdraw。Onthefourteenth，Sumterwasevacuatedandtheingloriousfleetsailedbacktothenorthward。
Lincolnatonceacceptedthegageofbattle。Onthefifteenthappearedhisproclamationcallingforanarmyofseventy-fivethousandvolunteers。Automatically，theupperSouthfulfilleditsunhappydestiny。Challengedatlast，ontheirreconcilableissue，Virginia，NorthCarolina，Tennessee，Arkansas，seceded。
Thefinalargumentofkingswastheonlyoneremaining。
IthasbeentrulysaidthattheAmericansareanunmilitarybutanintenselywarlikenation。Seward’sbeliefthatawarfurywouldsweepthecountryatthefirstcannonshotwasamplyjustified。BothNorthandSouthappearedtoriseasoneman，cryingfiercelytobeledtobattle。
TheimmediateeffectonWashingtonhadnotbeenforeseen。ThathistoricclashatBaltimorebetweenthecity’smobandtheSixthMassachusettsenroutetothecapital，wasfollowedbyanoutburstofsecessionfeelinginMaryland；byanattempttoisolateWashingtonfromtheNorth。Railwaytracksweretornup；telegraphwireswerecut。DuringseveraldaysLincolnwasentirelyignorantofwhattheNorthwasdoing。Wasthereanefficientgeneralresponsetohiscallfortroops？Orwasprecioustimebeingsquanderedinpreparation？Wasitconceivablethatthewarfurywasonlytalk？LookingforthfromtheWhiteHouse，hewasaprisonerofthehorizon；animpenetrablemystery，itshutthecapitalinaringofsilenceallbutintolerable。Washingtonassumedtheairofabeleagueredcity。GeneralScotthastilydrewinthesmallforceswhichthegovernmenthadmaintainedinMarylandandVirginia。GovernmentemployeesandloyalWashingtonianswerearmedandbegantodrill。TheWhiteHousebecameabarracks。
“JimLane，“writesdelightfulJohnHayinhisdiary，whichisalwayscool，rippling，sunny，nomatterhowacutethecrisis，“JimLanemarshalledhisKansaswarriorstodayatWilliard’s；
tonighttheyareintheEastRoom。“[1]Hay’shumorbrightensthetragichour。HefeltithisdutytoreporttoLincolna“yarn“thathadbeentoldtohimbysomecharmingwomenwhohadinsistedonaninterview；theyhadheardfrom“adashingVirginian“thatinsideforty-eighthourssomethingwouldhappenwhichwouldringthroughtheworld。TheladiesthoughtthismeantthecaptureorassassinationofthePresident。“Lincolnquietlygrinned。“ButHaywhoplainlyenjoyedtheepisode，charmingwomenandall，hadgothimselfintotrouble。Hehadtodo“someverydexterouslyingtocalmtheawakenedfearsofMrs。Lincolninregardtotheassassinationsuspicion。“MilitiawerequarteredintheCapitol，andPennsylvaniaAvenuewasadrillground。AtthePresident’sreception，thedistinguishedpoliticianC。C。Clay，“worewithasublimelyunconsciousairthreepistolsandan’Arkansastoothpick，’andlookedlikeanadmirablevignettetotwenty-fivecents’worthofyellowcoveredromance。“
ButHay’slevitywasallofthesurface。Beneathitwasintenseanxiety。GeneralScottreportedthattheVirginiamilitia，concentratingaboutWashington，wereaformidablemenace，thoughhethoughthewasstrongenoughtoholdoutuntilreliefshouldcome。Asthedayspassedandnothingappeareduponthatinscrutablehorizonwhilethetelegraphremainedsilent，Lincolnbecamemoodilydistressed。Oneafternoon，“thebusinessofthedaybeingover，theexecutiveofficedeserted，afterwalkingtheflooraloneinsilentthoughtfornearlyahalf-hour，hestoppedandgazedlongandwistfullyoutofthewindowdownthePotomacinthedirectionoftheexpectedshipsbringingsoldiersfromNewYork；andunconsciousofotherpresenceintheroom，atlengthbrokeoutwithirrepressibleanguishintherepeatedexclamation，’Whydon’ttheycome!Whydon’ttheycome!’“[2]
HisunhappinessflashedintowordswhilehewasvisitingthoseMassachusettssoldierswhohadbeenwoundedontheirwaytoWashington。“Idon’tbelievethereisanyNorth……“heexclaimed。“YouaretheonlyNorthernrealities。“[3]Buteventhenreliefwasathand。TheSeventhNewYork，whichhadmarcheddownBroadwayamidsuchanovationasneverbeforewasgivenanyregimentinAmerica，hadcomebyseatoAnnapolis。
AtnoononApriltwenty-fifth，itreachedWashingtonbringing，alongwiththewelcomesightofitsownbayonets，thenewsthattheNorthhadrisen，thatthousandsmorewereonthemarch。
HaywhometthematthedepotwentatoncetoreporttoLincoln。AlreadythePresidenthadreactedtoa“pleasant，hopefulmood。“Hebeganoutliningatentativeplanofaction：
blockade，maintenanceofthesafetyofWashington，holdingFortressMonroe，andthento“godowntoCharlestonandpayherthelittledebtweareowingthere。“[4]Butthiswasanundigestedplan。Ithadlittleresemblancetoanyofhislaterplans。Andimmediatelythechiefdifficultiesthatweretoembarrassallhisplansappeared。HewasaminorityPresident；andhewastheExecutiveofademocracy。Manythingsweretohappen；manymistakesweretobemade；manytimesthepiperwastobepaid，ereLincolnfeltsufficientlysureofhissupporttoenforceapolicyofhisown，defiantofopposition。Throughoutthespringof1861hisimperativeneedwastosecurethefavoroftheNorthernmass，toshapehispolicywiththatendinview。Atleast，inhisownmind，thisseemedtobehisparamountobligation。Andsoitwasinthemindsofhisadvisers。Lincolnwasstillinthepliablemoodwhichwashiswhenheenteredoffice，whichcontinuedtobeinevidence，exceptforsuddenmomentarydisappearanceswhenadifferentLincolnflashedaninstantintoview，untilanotheryearandmorehadgoneby。Stillhefelthimselftheapprenticehandpainfullylearningthetradeofmanofaction。
Stillhewasdeeplysensitivetoadvice。
Andwhatadvicedidthecountrygivehim？TherewasoneroaringshoutdinningintohisearsallroundtheNorthernhorizon-“OntoRichmond!“FollowingVirginia’ssecession，RichmondhadbecometheConfederatecapital。ItwasexpectedthatasessionoftheConfederateCongresswouldopenatRichmondinJuly。“OntoRichmond!ForwardtoRichmond!“
screamedTheTribune。“TheRebelCongressmustnotbeallowedtomeetthereonthe20thofJuly。Bythatdatetheplacemustbeheldbythenationalarmy。“TheTimesadvisedtheresignationoftheCabinet；itwarnedthePresidentthatifhedidnotgivepromptsatisfactionhewouldbesuperseded。
ThoughLincolnlaughedatthethreatofTheTimesto“depose“
him，hetookveryseriouslyalltheswiftlyaccumulatingevidencethattheNorthwasbecomingrashlyimpatientNewspapercorrespondentsatWashingtontalkedtohissecretaries“impertinently。“[5]MembersofCongress，eithercarriedawaybytheexcitementofthehourorwithslavishregardtothehysteriaoftheirconstituents，throngedtoWashingtonclamoringforaction。Onpurelypoliticalgrounds，ifonnoother，theydemandedanimmediateadvanceintoVirginia。
Militarymenlookedwithirritation，ifnotwithcontempt，onallthisintemperatepopularfury。ThatgrimSherman，whohadbeenoffendedbyLincoln’stonethemonthprevious，puttheirfeelingintowords。DecliningtheofferofapositionintheWarDepartment，hewrotethathewished“theAdministrationallsuccessinitsalmostimpossibletaskofgoverningthisdistractedandanarchialpeople。“[6]
InthePresident’scouncils，GeneralScotturgeddelay，andthegatheringofthevolunteersintocampsofinstruction，theirdeliberatetransformationintoagenuinearmy。Soinadequateweretheresourcesofthegovernment；solooseanduncertainwerethemilitiaorganizationswhichwereattemptingtocombineintoanarmy；suchdiscrepanciesappearedbetweenthenominalandactualstrengthofcommands，betweentheplaceswheremenweresupposedtobeandtheplaceswheretheyactuallywere；
thatLincolninhisdrollwaycomparedtheprocessofmobilizationtoshovelingabusheloffleasacrossabarnfloor。[7]Fromthemilitarypointofviewitwasnotimetoattemptanadvance。Againstthemilitaryargument，threepoliticalargumentsloomeddarkinthemindsoftheCabinet；
therewastheclamoroftheNorthernmajority；therewerethethreatsofthepoliticianswhoweretoassembleinCongress，Julyfourth；therewasthetermofserviceofthevolunteerswhichhadbeenlimitedbytheproclamationtothreemonths。