What if James Buchanan had acted decisively in January of 1861?

[lucas80]

What if he’d taken the advice of Gen. Winfield Scott, and others, and sent a gunships plus soldiers to Charleston? Did his weakness and indecision allow Southern ambitions to succeed critical time to grow? In early January only SC had voted to succeed. Florida hadn’t gone disloyal, yet. If a Union fleet had pounded SC positions and occupied the city is there a chance the Civil War might have been avoided? Could he have staved off war long enough for Lincoln to take office and cooler heads to prevail?
Discuss.

 

[seminole97]

The eleven states of the CSA, in order of their dates of secession (listed in parentheses), were:
South Carolina (December 20, 1860),
Mississippi (January 9, 1861),
Florida (January 10, 1861),
Alabama (January 11, 1861),
Georgia (January 19, 1861),
Louisiana (January 26, 1861),
Texas (February 1, 1861),

March 4th, 1861 Lincoln’s inaugural address promising to sign the Corwin Amendment (protecting slavery in the Constitution) so long as the South submits to federal tariffs.

Fort Sumter surrenders April 13th.

Virginia (April 17, 1861),
Arkansas (May 6, 1861),
North Carolina (May 20, 1861), and
Tennessee(June 8, 1861).

 

[Jimmy McGill]

What if he’d taken the advice of Gen. Winfield Scott, and others, and sent a gunships plus soldiers to Charleston? Did his weakness and indecision allow Southern ambitions to succeed critical time to grow? In early January only SC had voted to succeed. Florida hadn’t gone disloyal, yet. If a Union fleet had pounded SC positions and occupied the city is there a chance the Civil War might have been avoided? Could he have staved off war long enough for Lincoln to take office and cooler heads to prevail?
Discuss.

Re - post as History Thread #6. I don't own those rights.

 

[Hawkeye Swarm]

What if he’d taken the advice of Gen. Winfield Scott, and others, and sent a gunships plus soldiers to Charleston? Did his weakness and indecision allow Southern ambitions to succeed critical time to grow? In early January only SC had voted to succeed. Florida hadn’t gone disloyal, yet. If a Union fleet had pounded SC positions and occupied the city is there a chance the Civil War might have been avoided? Could he have staved off war long enough for Lincoln to take office and cooler heads to prevail?
Discuss.

Lucas I'm not sure if you know this, but the proper word is secede, not succeed.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

Lucas I'm not sure if you know this, but the proper word is secede, not succeed.

WOB?