FORT SUMTER

The events leading up to the opening shots here at Fort Sumter and then four bloody years of fighting were because of the fundamental differences between the Northern and Southern States.

The North was mainly industrial and did not [because it had no need] support slavery whilst the South was mainly agricultural and supported slavery [because it had a need].

The map shows the North/South divide together with the States that seceded and those that did not . At the start of the war there were 33 states and during the war two more were admitted being Kansas [1861] and West Virginia [1863], the latter breaking away from the seceding state of Virginia and remaining in the Union.

Of the 33 [35] States, 23 [25] remained the United States of America [ Union forces ] and 11 seceded to form the Confererate States Of America [ Conferate forces ].

The 15th President of the United States 1857-1861, was James Buchanan and it was he who desperately tried to conciliate the Southern states who were threatening to secede from the Union over the immediate issue of slavery.

This split the Democrats and that, in turn, allowed the Republicans to win the Presidential election in 1860 which brought Abraham Lincoln to power. Lincoln continued to be concilitory as long as he could but South Carolina seceded on 20 December . It was to Buchanan's and Lincoln's credit that the border slavery states [Deleware; Maryland; Kentucky; Missouri and what was to become West Virginia ] did not secede. However by the time Licoln took office [March 4] six more states had seceded . Thus the battle lines were being drawn as the map shows.

After South Carolina seceded the Commander of Union forces in Charlston , Major Robert Anderson moved from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter both of which were in Charlston Harbour S.C.

Although the latter Fort was unfinished and unmanned it was further from the shore which gave it some protection. The Governor of South Carolina demanded the fort's surrender which was refused. In early January 1861 a Union supply ship failed to get through to the fort. By early April ,with the Fort running out of provisions, President Lincoln advised the Governor Pickens that he was sending supplies to Fort Sumter but not ammunition or men. Before this fleet arrived, General Beauregard, under orders from Confederate President Jefferson Davis demanded the evacuation of the Fort which Major Anderson refused. Thus the scene was set for the first real shots of the Civil War.

Major Robert Anderson

General Pierre Beauregard

1805-1871

click on dates

for more information

1818-1893

On 12th April at 4.30am General Beauregard opened fire from Fort Johnson in Charleston. On the same day the Union relief fleet arrived, but this could not enter the harbour because of the bombardment which continued for 34 hours.

Fort Sumter, under Major Anderson , surrendered on 13th April and evacuated his troops north ,by sea, on 14th April.

There were none during the bombardment on either side. However 2 Union soldiers were killed and 4 were wounded when an amunition stockpile accidently exploded.

There is no doubt that by sending Relief Ships to Fort Sumter, Confererate President Jefferson Davis felt he had to act ; just as President Lincoln felt that his administration had to continue President Buchanan's policy before him. The result was war. However a sister Fort [Fort Pickens] in Florida was retained by the Union and helped considerably in the blockade of Southern Ports.

The Conferates completed and strengthened Fort Sumter and retained it through several attacks and a 15 month siege. However in February 1865 they evacuated the Fort as Union General Sherman's Army approached.

Although retired , Robert Anderson returned to Fort Sumter in April 1865 for Union flag raising ceremonies.