TLDR;

  • Event: The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor at 4:30 a.m., marking the first shots of the war.
  • Background: Tensions escalated after Abraham Lincoln’s election and South Carolina’s secession, with Fort Sumter becoming a symbol of Union resistance in Confederate territory.
  • Outcome: After a 34-hour bombardment, Union Major Robert Anderson surrendered the fort, leading to no Union deaths but one Confederate casualty during a post-surrender salute.
  • Impact: The attack united the North and emboldened the South, starting a four-year war (1861–1865) that would claim over 750,000 lives, with Lincoln initially focusing on preserving the Union rather than abolishing slavery.

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Story

Dawn broke over Charleston Harbor with an eerie calm, but beneath the surface, tensions simmered like a pot about to boil over. At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, Confederate cannons roared to life, their shells arcing through the sky toward Fort Sumter. The American Civil War had begun.

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For months, the nation had teetered on the brink of conflict. The election of Abraham Lincoln, a president opposed to the expansion of slavery, had driven a wedge between North and South. South Carolina, the first state to secede from the Union, had become a flashpoint. At the heart of this tension stood Fort Sumter, a Union stronghold in the heart of Confederate territory.

Major Robert Anderson, commanding the Union garrison, found himself in a difficult position. Supplies were dwindling, and reinforcements were not forthcoming. While Anderson was not entirely opposed to surrender, he refused to evacuate without orders. As the Confederate forces, led by General P.G.T. Beauregard, demanded the fort’s evacuation, Anderson held firm.

The turning point came with the first cannonball. For 34 hours, Confederate artillery pounded the fort, reducing its walls to rubble. The Union soldiers, outgunned and outmanned, fought valiantly but were ultimately forced to surrender. The Stars and Stripes were lowered, and the First National Flag (Stars and Bars) rose in its place.

The fall of Fort Sumter electrified the nation. The North rallied to the Union cause, while the South celebrated its victory. The battle lines were drawn, and the country was plunged into a brutal conflict that would last four years (1861–1865) and claim over 750,000 lives (per recent scholarship).

Casualties at Fort Sumter: The bombardment caused no Union deaths—the only fatality was a Confederate soldier killed in an accidental explosion during a salute after the surrender. Lincoln’s Stance on Slavery: While Lincoln opposed the expansion of slavery, his initial war aim was preservation of the Union, not abolition. The Emancipation Proclamation came later (1863).

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Would a different decision at Fort Sumter have changed the course of American history?