why did Lincoln inform the confederacy that he would not be sending troops or weapons as food supplies were sent to Fort Sumter?

Answer 1

Lincoln informed the Confederacy that he would not be sending troops or weapons as food supplies were sent to Fort Sumter in order to avoid further escalation of the conflict. Lincoln wanted to avoid a full-scale war and believed that sending food supplies to the fort would be a peaceful gesture that would not be seen as a provocation. He also wanted to demonstrate that the Union was not seeking to conquer the Confederacy, but rather to preserve the Union.