The Battle of Fort Sumter (12-13 April 1861), also known as the Attack on Fort Sumter and the Fall of Fort Sumter, was the opening engagement of the American Civil War. It began when Confederate Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard ordered his artillery, positioned around the island fort, to open fire after Union Major Robert Anderson had refused to surrender.
The Confederate bombardment lasted roughly 34 hours, beginning at 4:30 a.m. on 12 April. Major Anderson, low on ammunition and waiting for better visibility, began returning fire at 7:00 a.m. Both sides continued this exchange until Anderson surrendered the fort on 13 April at 2:30 p.m.
The Battle of Fort Sumter galvanized both the North and the South for war. Each side believed the other was weak, would not put up much of a fight, that casualties would be few, and that the conflict would be over in a very short time – perhaps a few weeks at most. In fact, the war would rage for four years, cause millions of dollars in damage, and cost upwards of 650,000 lives.
The Forts of Charleston Harbor
In 1776, a small fort was built on Sullivan’s Island (also known as Sullivan Island) in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. This installation later became known as Fort Moultrie, in honor of the Patriot General William Moultrie, who defended the position on 28 June 1776 against a British fleet during the American Revolutionary War…