Fort Sumter
Beginning of War
- A ship called "The Star of The West" intended to bring Fort Sumter 200 soldiers and supplies. This was deemed an act of aggression by the South who then fired on the ship, forcing it back to sea.
- April 12, 1861, Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard shelled the unfinished Union fort for 34 hours until Union Major Robert Anderson surrendered the fort.
- The significance of this exchange of artillery is that it started the civil war as well pushed federal troops out of South Carolina.
- Originally, Major Anderson was stationed at Fort Moultrie, but elected to move to Fort Sumter since it was easier to defend.
- There were no casualties during the bombardment. The only two deaths occurred in an 100-gun salute accident while evacuation Union soldiers.
Soldiers standing behind cannons in Fort Sumter.
When demands for the Union to evacuate the Fort were refused, Confederate soldiers opened fire.
Confederate soldiers stand beneath their flag after a Union surrender of the fort.
Artist depiction of the bombardment.
Today, the scars of battle are still evident on the fort.
Confederates firing on Fort Sumter from Charleston harbor.
The Star of The West. The ship fired on by Confederate soldiers that was forced back to sea after trying to resupply Fort Sumter.
A drawing of Fort Sumter as seen from the harbor.
I chose to include these pictures because I thought they portrayed well what was going on and what you would have seen, had you been there in person.