The American Civil War began when Confederate forces under General P.G.T. Beauregard launched a 34-hour bombardment of Union-held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The battle ended with the fort's surrender and marked the beginning of America's bloodiest conflict.

The American Civil War erupted on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces launched a devastating attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina's Charleston Harbor. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of the nation's bloodiest conflict, transforming political tensions into armed combat between the Union and Confederate states.

As dawn broke that fateful morning, Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard ordered his artillery to open fire on the Union-held fortress. The bombardment lasted 34 hours, with over 3,000 shells raining down on Fort Sumter. Major Robert Anderson and his Union garrison of 85 men surrendered on April 13, making this the first military engagement of the Civil War that would eventually claim over 600,000 American lives.

Confederate artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, launching 4,000 rounds during a 34-hour bombardment. The engagement unfolded in Charleston Harbor as tensions reached their breaking point between the Union and Confederate forces.

Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard commanded 500 troops positioned in various batteries surrounding Fort Sumter. The Confederate artillery consisted of:

• 30 guns in Fort Johnson
• 17 mortars in Fort Moultrie
• 12 heavy guns at Cummings Point
• 9 guns at the Floating Battery

The Confederate forces maintained strategic positions across:

• Sullivan's Island
• Morris Island
• James Island
• Mount Pleasant

Major Robert Anderson commanded 85 men inside Fort Sumter during the attack:

• 48 enlisted soldiers
• 8 military officers
• 29 civilian workers

The Union garrison's resources included:

• 60 serviceable guns

• 48 hours of food supplies

• Limited ammunition reserves

• 48 guns unmounted due to incomplete construction

• No fuses for explosive shells

• Wooden buildings vulnerable to Confederate fire

Fort Sumter Battle Statistics	Numbers
Confederate Troops	500
Union Defenders	85
Duration of Bombardment	34 hours
Confederate Rounds Fired	4,000
Union Serviceable Guns	60
Casualties	0

The months preceding the attack on Fort Sumter saw a series of pivotal events that escalated tensions between the North and South. These developments created a chain reaction that culminated in the first military engagement of the Civil War.

South Carolina officially seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860, through a unanimous vote by the state convention. The state immediately demanded the surrender of all federal properties within its borders, including Fort Sumter. State militia forces seized five federal forts in Charleston Harbor, leaving only Fort Sumter under Union control. Governor Francis Pickens dispatched commissioners to Washington D.C. to negotiate the transfer of the fort, citing state sovereignty rights over federal installations.

Abraham Lincoln's inauguration on March 4, 1861, marked a critical turning point in the Fort Sumter crisis. In his inaugural address, Lincoln declared his intent to maintain federal property while avoiding military conflict. The new administration faced an immediate challenge when Major Anderson reported that Fort Sumter's supplies would last only six weeks. On April 6, Lincoln informed Governor Pickens of his decision to resupply Fort Sumter with provisions only, not military reinforcements. The Confederate government interpreted this action as a hostile move, leading President Jefferson Davis to order General Beauregard to demand the fort's surrender before the relief expedition arrived.

Key Dates	Event
Dec 20, 1860	South Carolina secedes
Mar 4, 1861	Lincoln's inauguration
Apr 6, 1861	Lincoln announces resupply mission
Apr 11, 1861	Confederates demand surrender

At 4:30 AM on April 12, 1861, Confederate Captain George S. James fired the first shot at Fort Sumter from Fort Johnson, initiating the American Civil War. The projectile, a 10-inch mortar shell, burst over the fort with a deafening explosion that signaled the start of hostilities.

Confederate artillery batteries unleashed a coordinated assault from multiple positions surrounding Fort Sumter. The bombardment involved:

Location	Number of Guns	Type of Artillery
Fort Johnson	4	10-inch mortars
Morris Island	3	8-inch columbiads
Sullivan's Island	5	Mixed heavy artillery
Mount Pleasant	2	Mortars

The Union garrison returned fire at 7:00 AM, focusing their limited ammunition on the ironclad battery at Cummings Point. Confederate forces maintained a steady barrage, launching 4,000 shells during the engagement. By nightfall, the fort's wooden buildings caught fire from heated shot, forcing defenders to concentrate on controlling the flames.

Major Anderson surrendered Fort Sumter at 2:30 PM on April 13, 1861, after expending nearly all ammunition supplies. The evacuation terms included:

• Union forces departed with full military honors
• The garrison carried their weapons personal belongings
• A 100-gun salute marked the lowering of the U.S. flag
• Confederate forces provided transport to Union ships offshore
• Private property remained protected under surrender terms

The Confederate victory came without loss of life on either side, though two Union soldiers died during the ceremonial cannon salute when their gun exploded prematurely. The garrison boarded the USS Baltic on April 14, 1861, departing for New York Harbor.

The Confederate victory at Fort Sumter triggered immediate responses from both the Union and Confederate governments, fundamentally altering the political landscape of the United States.

President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation on April 15, 1861, calling for 75,000 militia volunteers to serve for 90 days. The proclamation cited the Militia Acts of 1792, authorizing the president to call forth state militia forces to suppress insurrections. Union states responded swiftly:

• Massachusetts mobilized 3,000 troops within 48 hours
• New York pledged 13,700 volunteers by April 20
• Pennsylvania provided 20,000 soldiers by April 30
• Ohio mustered 22,000 troops within two weeks

The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter prompted four additional Southern states to join the Confederacy:

State	Secession Date
Virginia	April 17, 1861
Arkansas	May 6, 1861
Tennessee	May 7, 1861
North Carolina	May 20, 1861

These states increased Confederate military strength by:

• Adding 465,000 military-age men to Confederate forces

• Contributing 9 textile mills for uniform production

• Providing access to the Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond

• Supplying 3 major arsenals with military equipment

• Delaware

• Kentucky

• Maryland

• Missouri

The Battle of Fort Sumter marked a pivotal moment in American history as the first military engagement of the Civil War. This confrontation established a clear breaking point between political disagreement and armed conflict.

The Fort Sumter attack created several significant military precedents that shaped the conduct of the Civil War. Confederate forces demonstrated the effectiveness of coordinated artillery bombardment from multiple positions, a tactic later employed in major battles like Gettysburg. The 34-hour siege established new protocols for fort defense and highlighted the importance of supply lines, with Fort Sumter's surrender ultimately resulting from resource depletion rather than direct military defeat.

Military Impact Statistics
Artillery Rounds Fired	4,000
Duration of Siege	34 hours
Confederate Troops	500
Union Garrison	85
Operational Guns	60

The attack on Fort Sumter transformed abstract political tensions into tangible military conflict. This engagement sparked immediate responses across the nation:

• Northern States mobilized unprecedented numbers of volunteers:
• Massachusetts: 3,000 troops in 48 hours
• New York: 13,700 volunteers by April 20
• Pennsylvania: 20,000 soldiers by April 30
• Ohio: 22,000 troops within two weeks
• Southern Expansion occurred through four additional state secessions:
• Virginia contributed industrial capacity
• Arkansas provided agricultural resources
• Tennessee offered strategic river access
• North Carolina added 465,000 military-age men

The battle's bloodless nature contrasted sharply with the devastating conflict that followed, resulting in 620,000 casualties over four years of warfare. Fort Sumter remains a national monument, attracting 850,000 annual visitors to commemorate this defining moment in American history.

• The Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
• The bombardment lasted 34 hours, with Confederate forces firing over 4,000 shells at the Union-held fort before its surrender on April 13
• Major Robert Anderson commanded 85 Union defenders against approximately 500 Confederate troops led by General P.G.T. Beauregard
• The battle resulted in no combat casualties, though two Union soldiers died during the surrender ceremony from a premature cannon explosion
• Following Fort Sumter's fall, President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers, and four additional states (Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina) joined the Confederacy
• This pivotal battle transformed political tensions into armed conflict, marking the official start of America's bloodiest war that would claim over 600,000 lives

The Battle of Fort Sumter stands as the defining moment that ignited the American Civil War on April 12 1861. What began as a 34-hour bombardment without casualties evolved into a four-year conflict that would forever change the nation's trajectory. The battle's aftermath sparked immediate and far-reaching consequences including Lincoln's call for 75000 militia volunteers and the secession of four additional Southern states.

Today Fort Sumter serves as a powerful reminder of this pivotal moment in American history. Its transformation from a military stronghold to a national monument visited by hundreds of thousands annually demonstrates how this first battle between Americans shaped the nation we know today.