Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was the first official battle of the Civil War. It was the Confederacy attacking the Union's fort trying to get them to surrender it, it lasted from April 12 to April 14 1861. The Forth Sumter was an island by Charleston, South Carolina. It was the source of the tension between the Confederacy and Union. After seceding from the Union they demanded that the fort should be in their possession and the union army should be no where near their land. That lasted until April 12, 1861 The south demanded the Union to evacuate the fort and they refused so the south took the first shot starting the Civil War. The Union army surrendered the fort after 3 days of taking shots, to the Confederate army.
The first shots of the Civil War were shot on Friday, April 12, 1861 4:30 am by South Carolina, the first state that seceded. They tried to force the Union to leave Fort Sumter by cutting of all their supplies. When they refused the Confederacy tried to demand them saying that it was theirs and they had no right to be there. After the first shot was fired they continues for at least two hours then the Union finally shot back. Edmund Ruffle was the man who claimed that he was the person to fire the first shot and it is widely believed. The firing lasted for 34 hours and by the time the Union surrendered Fort Sumter, it was almost completely destroyed and they were out of ammunition. Now the fort has had some reconstruction and you can visit it, if you have any intrest in visiting Fort Sumter visit this website:
http://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm
The first shots of the Civil War were shot on Friday, April 12, 1861 4:30 am by South Carolina, the first state that seceded. They tried to force the Union to leave Fort Sumter by cutting of all their supplies. When they refused the Confederacy tried to demand them saying that it was theirs and they had no right to be there. After the first shot was fired they continues for at least two hours then the Union finally shot back. Edmund Ruffle was the man who claimed that he was the person to fire the first shot and it is widely believed. The firing lasted for 34 hours and by the time the Union surrendered Fort Sumter, it was almost completely destroyed and they were out of ammunition. Now the fort has had some reconstruction and you can visit it, if you have any intrest in visiting Fort Sumter visit this website:
http://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm
Quotes on Fort Sumter
- “What a change now greets us! The Government is aroused, the dead North is alive, and its divided people united…The cry now is for war, vigorous war, war to the bitter end, and war till the traitors are effectually and permanently put down.” -Fredrick Douglass in May of 1861, after the Civil War began with the bombardment of Fort Sumter.
- “The firing on that fort will inaugurate a civil war greater than any the world has yet seen…you will lose us every friend at the North. You will wantonly strike a hornet’s nest which extends from mountains to ocean. Legions now quiet will swarm out and sting us to death. It is unnecessary. It puts us in the wrong. It is fatal.” -Robert A. Toombs, his words to Jefferson Davis regarding Fort Sumter. Toombs was Confederate Secretary of State but later resigned this position to become a Brigadier General and fight in battles for the Confederacy.
This is a painting of South Carolina
attacking Fort Sumter
clicking on the picture will bring you to a reenactment of Fort Sumter
attacking Fort Sumter
clicking on the picture will bring you to a reenactment of Fort Sumter