Battle of Fort Sumter

Table of Contents

• Fort Sumter, the Site of the First Shot of the American Civil War
• Occupation of Fort Sumter by Major Anderson
• President Buchanan's Response to the Fort Sumter Crisis
• Lincoln's Refusal of Evacuation of Fort Sumter
• Announcement of Resupply Expedition to Fort Sumter
• Beginning of the Battle of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861
• The Course of the Battle and Wigfall's Action
• Surrender of Fort Sumter and the First Casualties of the Civil War
• Reaction to the Surrender of Fort Sumter and Anderson's Re-Raise of the U.S. Flag on April 14, 1865

Fort Sumter, the Site of the First Shot of the American Civil War

The Battle of Fort Sumter, also referred to as the Surrender of Fort Sumter and Bombardment of Fort Sumter marked the beginning of the American Civil War. At Fort Sumter, the first shot of the Civil War was fired but not a single men died on either side during the battle. Private Daniel Hough and Private Edward Gallway, the first fatalities of the war were killed during the surrender ceremony due to an explosion of a pile of cartridges.

Occupation of Fort Sumter by Major Anderson

Fort Sumter, an unfinished fort protecting the Charleston harbor in South Carolina increased the tensions between the Confederacy and the Federal government in December 1860. It was occupied by the U.S. Army Major Robert Anderson with 85 officers and soldiers on December 26, 1860, six days after South Carolina declared secession. The move of Major Anderson and his garrison from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter was perceived as an act of aggression by South Carolina which demanded immediate evacuation.

President Buchanan’s Response to the Fort Sumter Crisis

The US President James Buchanan refused South Carolina’s demand for evacuation of Fort Sumter and decided to send a relief expedition because Anderson held a fort designed for 650 men and had supply for only few months. The merchant ship Star of the West with 200 men, ammunition and provisions for several months arrived to Charleston harbor on January 9, 1861. However, the cadets from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina opened fire on the unarmed ship and forced it to retreat. Buchanan who was eager to leave the White House in peace did not make further attempts to reinforce Anderson who did not express an immediate need either. The Fort Sumter crisis was left over to Buchanan’s successor, Abraham Lincoln who had to deal with the situation on the very same day he assumed office.

Lincoln’s Refusal of Evacuation of Fort Sumter

Lincoln who had pledged not to yield any federal property in the South was in a great dilemma. He was notified that Anderson will run out of provisions in few weeks which meant that the fort either needs to be evacuated or resupplied and reinforced. His closest advisor and Secretary of the State, William H. Seward recommended evacuation and most of the Cabinet agreed because a relief expedition would be regarded as an act of aggression which in turn could result in secession of important border states, in the first place Virginia. However, Lincoln who was aware that this would de facto mean recognition of the secession refused to accept evacuation of the fort.

Announcement of Resupply Expedition to Fort Sumter

The new president came to a brilliant idea which enabled him to hold on to the fort without firing the first shot. On April 6, Lincoln notified South Carolina’s authorities that he had sent an expedition with provisions only to the force in Fort Sumter putting the Confederate government in an impossible situation. By allowing the resupply of the fort it would mean that they allow federate possession in the birthplace of secession but if trying to prevent it by force, they would commit the first act of aggression.

Beginning of the Battle of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861

The Confederate government, suspicious about the resupply expedition ordered the commander of South Carolina forces in Charleston, Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard to demand an immediate surrender of Fort Sumter. On April 11, Beauregard delivered an ultimatum to Anderson who replied that he will evacuate by April 15 unless receiving new orders from the Federal government or resupplied. Anderson’s reply was rejected and just before dawn on April 12, the Confederate artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter.

The Course of the Battle and Wigfall’s Action

Anderson did not return fire until about 7:00 a.m. and kept up with the Confederates until early afternoon when lack of cartridges forced him to limit firing to 6 guns. After dark, Anderson stopped firing back on the Confederates who persisted throughout the night at longer intervals. On April 13, Anderson opened early and kept up the brisk pace until a fire from the wooden barracks started dangerously approaching the powder magazines. Between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. the U.S. flag was shot down which together with the fire and smoke encouraged Colonel Louis Wigfall, a former U.S. senator to go to the fort in order to see if Anderson is willing to surrender. The flag was meanwhile raised up again but Wigfall proceeded and managed to negotiate surrender on the basis of terms presented by Beauregard before the bombardment. However, Anderson soon learned that Wigfall acted on his own.

Surrender of Fort Sumter and the First Casualties of the Civil War

Shortly after Wigfall’s departure, a group of officers sent by Beauregard arrived to Fort Sumpter. The terms of surrender were virtually identical to those negotiated with Wigfall but they did not include saluting the flag. However, Anderson “marched out of the fort with colors flying and drums beating, bringing away company and private property, and saluting (my) flag with fifty guns“ on April 14 as he reported in a dispatch sent to Simon Cameron, the United States Secretary of War on April 18. A 100-gun salute to the U.S. flag was foreseen but it ended at the 50th round when an explosion of a pile of cartridges killed Private Daniel Hough and mortally wounded Private Edward Gallway who died few days later in Charleston’s hospital.

Reaction to the Surrender of Fort Sumter and Anderson’s Re-Raise of the U.S. Flag on April 14, 1865

The very next day after the surrender of Fort Sumter, Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 volunteers for 90 days to help put down what he considered a rebellion. Although the US president managed to avoid firing the first shot, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas joined the Confederacy anyway over the following weeks. However, Lincoln secured himself a strong support for the Union cause in the North which was crucial to preserve the unity of the United States by force. Anderson who was hailed as a national hero retired from the Army in 1863 but he returned to Fort Sumter to re-raise the 33-star flag on April 14, 1865, exactly four years after the surrender. The original Fort Sumter Flag is today on display at the Fort Sumter Museum.

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