Fort Sumter: First Battle In The Civil War

The American Civil War has become a point of controversy and argument when discussing key events in shaping America. The arguments that arise when discussing the war tend to focus on whether the Confederate was constitutionally justified in seceding, or whether the North had the right to prevent the secession. However, when discussing the America Civil War and the idea of separation, it is important to be mindful that separation did not simply end at the state level. Letters written by Jesse Rolston, Jr. and Jedediah Hotchkiss portray two significantly different attitudes toward the war, despite the fact that the writers both fought for the Confederate States and give accounts of the same battle, one of which ended in the Confederate’s favor. When examining the documents, both writers express different viewpoints on life on and off the battlefield. This significant difference represents a division amongst the Confederate army.

It all began with the secession of South Carolina. After this an understanding was established between the authorities in Washington and the members of Congress from South Carolina. They both agreed that the forts, Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter, would not be attacked, or seized as an act of war, until proper negotiations for

His ended his speech with a plea for the restoration of the bonds of union. The South just ignored his plea. Violence and outrage turned to belligerence in the North, which in turn had many southerners clamouring for war. At 4.30am on April 12th 1861, Confederate gunners opened fire on Federal - held Fort Sumter, situated in the middle of Charleston Harbour. The only real casualty was a horse. This gentle brawl was the start of a longer, harder and bloodier war than anyone could dream of.

The Civil war had started in 1861 in fort Sumter when the southern states did not wish to give up slaves, due to the hiring of paid labor would decrease profits. It was the summer in 1863 and General Lee was trying to figure out how to best end the war, with the succession being successful or victory for the south.

The Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Manassas by the Confederacy, was the first major land battle that the armies of Virginia fought. Most think that the Civil War officially started when the Confederate troops gunned down Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, but the Battle of Bull Run is what really kicked off the war. No one had actually really got down and dirty to fight until this battle. It was essentially the first battle of the Civil war.

After the Fort Sumter battle, both the North and the South began preparing for war by raising armies. This was done quickly and neither side spent much time training the troops. Both sides also did not know what a long and terrible war was ahead.

What was the Battle of Fort Sumter? Fort Sumter was an island battle in the civil war (1861-1865). The fort was built in 1829. It’s located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Fort Sumter was unfinished until U.S. Major Robert Anderson moved his men into the fort in 1860.

     After the Fort Sumter battle, both the North and the South began preparing for war by raising armies. This was done quickly and neither side spent much time training the troops. Both sides also did not know what a long and terrible war was ahead.

The day before the battle, General Beauregard demanded the evacuation of the Port, but Union ignored and bombardment started on next day. During the battle, Confederates had 500 troops, while Union had 80 troops. Confederate commander was P. G. T. Beauregard, who would lead to the victory on the First Battle of Bull Run 3 months later, and Union commander was Robert Anderson. The first bombardment of Fort Sumter began near Charleston, South Carolina. The Confederates bombarded Fort Sumter from all side, as shown in picture above. Also, the battle was fierce that “For thirty-three hours, the shore batteries lobbed 4,000 shells in the direction of the fort.” However, there were no casualties in the Battle of Fort Sumter. The major reason for that was because Major Anderson helped Union troops escape from Fort Sumter to keep troops out of any harms. Although there were no casualties, there were four Union troops who died and wounded by a gun salute shots by departing soldiers and the cannon exploded on April 14th. After 33 hours from the first shot from Confederates, Union surrendered to Southern forces. Confederate States of America considered themselves to be an independent nation no longer under the control of the United

Confederate General P.G.T Beauregard would fire the first shots on April 12th, 1861 at 4:30 am, in response of the Refusal to withdraw from the fort. Shortly after the Confederate’s19 batteries would lay siege for over 34 hours firing over 3,000 rounds. Fort Johnson fired the first shot from James Island into the dark night sky that exploded right over Fort Sumter. Union Captain Abmer, Doubleday’s ordered the Union soldiers to endure cannon fire for over two hours in an attempt to conserve powder cartridges for this reason before returning fire from an estimated 20 cannons. The Union army had half of the firing power of the Confederate army. Union ships would come during the height of the siege, but to the dismay of the fort they waited off the coast out of the range of enemy artillery. The captains of the ships found themselves in the midst of an artillery battle. The Union’s reinforcements were in sight but out of reach to those in Fort Sumter. “By Saturday, April 13, cannon fire had broken through the fortress’s five-foot-thick brick walls, causing fires inside the post. With his stores of ammunition depleted, Anderson was forced to surrender the fort shortly after 2 p.m. in the afternoon.” (History.com Staff, 2009). As a result of the bombardment of exploding shells, dense smoke and roaring flames made Fort Sumter very hectic within the

The Civil war began at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. However, the Civil War did not really start to amp up until the First Battle of Bull Run or also know as the first Battle of Manassas. The battle was fought just miles from Washington D.C., on July 21, 1861. At a place near Manassas Junction, Virginia. The battle began when about 35,000 Union soldiers marched from Washington D.C. to fight a confederate force of 20,000 along a small river called Bull Run. The goal of the Union army was to make quick work of the Confederate Army, make way to Richmond, the Confederate capital, and end the war.

On April 11, volunteer army administrator P.G.T. Beauregard requested that Anderson surrender the fortification, yet Anderson again denied Beauregard opened flame on Fort Sumter not long after 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861. U.S. Commander Abner Doubleday requested the first shots with regards to the fortress a couple of hours after the fact. Beauregard's 19 beach front batteries unleashed a rebuffing torrent on Fort Sumter, in the long run discharging an expected 3,000 shots at the fortification in 34 hours. By Saturday, April 13, gun discharge had gotten through the stronghold's five-foot-thick block dividers, bringing on shoot inside the post. With his stores of ammo exhausted, Anderson was compelled to surrender the post not long after 2 p.m. toward the evening. No Union troops had been killed amid the siege, however two men kicked the bucket the next day in a blast that happened amid an ordnance salute held before the U.S. departure. In the days taking after the ambush, Lincoln issued a call for Union volunteers to suppress the disobedience, while more Southern states including Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee join up with the

On December 20th, 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union. During this time, 85 federal soldiers under the command of Major Robert Anderson were stationed at Fort Moultrie, which is also located near the Charleston Harbor. To protect the federal strong hold in the south, Major Anderson moved his troops to Fort Sumter in the dark of night on December 26th. When the people of Charleston heard the news of the invasion on the fort, it did not sit well with them and other Southern states. Fort Sumter was built to protect the harbor in Charleston, now it was a military threat.

The American Civil War, which began in 1861 to 1865, has gone down in history as the one of the most significant events to have ever occurred in the United States of America, thus far. At that time, questions had arose wondering how the United States ever got so close to hitting rock bottom, especially being that it was a conflict within the country itself. Hostility steadily grew through the years dividing the nation further and further, and finally leading to the twelfth day in April 1861 in Fort Sumter, North Carolina. The American Civil War was an irrepressible battle and aside from the obvious physical effects of the war, the disagreement over states rights, the act of slavery, and the raising of tariffs played crucial roles in the

     The first battle of the Civil War occurred on April 10, 1861 when Brigadier General Beauregard demanded the surrender of Fort Sumter. The commander of the fort, Major Anderson, refused. Two days later Confederate artillery came crashing down on the fort. On