Confederates Fire on Fort Sumter: Civil War Begins
Confederate batteries opened fire on Fort Sumter at 4:30 AM on April 12, 1861, after weeks of negotiation over the federal garrison's resupply. Edmund Ruffin, a Virginia secessionist, is often credited with firing the first shot, but the actual first round was a signal shell fired by Captain George S. James. The bombardment lasted 34 hours, with over 3,000 shells striking the fort. Major Robert Anderson surrendered on April 13 after the fort's wooden barracks caught fire and the magazine was threatened. Remarkably, no one died during the bombardment. The only fatality came during the surrender ceremony, when a cannon exploded during a salute, killing Private Daniel Hough. Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers the next day.
April 12, 1861
165 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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