Who Invaded Whom?
An act of war is the presence of armed forces in the territory of another state without the consent of that state.
They don't have to do anything, just be there without permission; it is worse if they remain when asked to leave. They can be interned, disarmed or even destroyed lawfully, at the invaded state's choice.
The first act of war of the Civil War was when Major Anderson occupied Fort Sumter without the consent of the state of South Carolina. The attack on Sumter was not the first act but a response to Anderson's unlawful act. Anderson started the Civil War.
I have said the secession of South Carolina was wrong - I did not say it was illegal.
There was no part of the Constitution that prohibits secession, and anything not enunciated by the Constitution is reserved to the states - so says the Constitution. The Secession was legal.
Anderson violated the just law of the state of South Carolina, and committed the first act of war. Unless he did so at the command of the president of the United States he is a traitor.
I have said the attack on Sumter was wrong - I did not say it was illegal. Not only did the state authorities give Anderson a chance to leave peacefully they were going to allow him to leave with his weapons and return to the North. They did not have to allow a ship to enter the territorial waters of South Carolina to evacuate Sumter; they could have loaded Anderson and company on a train or even requested they march out. After Anderson's act of war they were fully justified in attacking Sumter by international law and usage.
The attack on Sumter was foolish is what it was.
I could have neutralized the fort without firing a shot, by anchoring every available vessel around Sumter in a ring, then packing thousands of troops on board. Then I would have driven pilings in the water around those ships to tear the bottom out of any ship attempting to penetrate the ring.
By the time I was finished driving piles in every approach to Charleston Harbor, Anderson would have already given up and left on a train.
The first shot would have been fired by the Union or not at all.
I would have dealt with a federal invasion by ordering all to evacuate any area federal troops came into and take all food with them. I would have poisoned every well. Every railroad and bridge would have been destroyed, then destroyed again if rebuilt. If the Union Army offered battle I would have pulled back - when they pulled back I would advance. All commerce between north and south would have ceased. If they attempted to seize a city I would order it burned. Any cotton they planted would be burned.
After a year or two of this they would go home, but not before northern industry collapsed for want of materials. An equitable peace agreement would have resumed export of raw materials, but only that.
The Civil War was a war of aggression started by the Northern states - the claim that the South struck first is utterly bogus.
