[Republic_of_Secession.]

The point I was making was that the North viewed the "shot" as a "legitimate act" of war. I noted that this is questionable to say the least. Since as you pointed out: no one had declared war at that point. The other point I was making was that this first "shot" did not justify the deaths of 600 000 people / the destruction of Dixie homes nor the subjugation of the Southron people & the reversal of their independence. The North committed war crimes against the Southrons & violated the Constitution. When the North declared independence from Britain (with significant help form the South) it was celebrated as freedom. When the CSA did essentially the SAME THING -as a continuation of the secessionist revolution started in 1776- the North all of a sudden hypocritically derides it as it would have come at the cost of receiving those high tariffs.

[Ditto]

The point I was making was that the North viewed the "shot" as a "legitimate act" of war.

No, they never even gave the confederates that much respect. They viewed exactly for what it was, an act of open insurrection.