The initial plan of the Union forces regarding Fort Sumter was To reinforce it.

The original strategy of the Union forces concerning Fort Sumter was to bolster the garrison stationed there. Acknowledging the fort's strategic significance in Charleston Harbor, Union leaders sought to enhance its defenses against possible Confederate assaults. They made efforts to dispatch supplies and additional troops to assist Major Robert Anderson and his men, who were under mounting pressure from Confederate forces. However, as tensions rose and communication deteriorated, these plans became increasingly complicated. Ultimately, the failure to provide timely reinforcements left the fort vulnerable during the bombardment, underscoring the difficulties the Union faced in the early stages of the Civil War.