Lincoln was not inaugurated until March 4, 1861, four months after his 1860 election, which afforded the South time to prepare for war. Nationalists i... by @wikipedia

Lincoln was not inaugurated until March 4, 1861, four months after his 1860 election, which afforded the South time to prepare for war. Nationalists in the North and "Unionists" in the South refused to accept the declarations of secession, and no foreign government ever recognized the Confederacy. The US government, under President James Buchanan, refused to relinquish the nation's forts, which the Confederacy claimed were located in their territory.