The Battle Of Fort Sumter

The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in 1861 marked the beginning of the American Civil War. Federal troops eventually surrendered after 36 hours of open fire. The controversial election of Abraham Lincoln, the contentious issue of slavery, and the South's demand for states' rights all factored into this momentous event. This book, an excellent Civil War resource, also delves into other key moments of the war that followed. A detailed timeline, historical paintings, and actual Civil War photographs bring to life the terrible conflict that divided a country.

On April 12, 1861, the long-simmering tensions between the American North and South exploded as Southern troops in the seceding state of South Carolina fired on the Federal forces at Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. The battle of Fort Sumter marked the outbreak of Civil War in the United States. The attack provoked outrage in the North, consolidated support for the newly inaugurated President Lincoln, and fueled the onset of the war that would consume and reshape the country. In this concise narrative, Wesley Moody explores the long history of tensions that lead to the events at Fort Sumter, the details of the crisis and battle, the impact of Fort Sumter on the unfolding Civil War, and the battle's place in historical memory. Supplemented by primary documents including newspaper coverage, first-person accounts, letters, and government documents, and supported by a companion website, this book provides students with a nuanced understanding of both the long-term and immediate origins of the American Civil War.

Chronicles the events leading up to the firing of the first shot of the Civil War on April 12, 1861.

*Explains the events that led up to the Battle of Fort Sumter, including the preparations in Charleston Harbor on both sides. *Includes accounts of the fighting and reports by Beauregard, Anderson, Doubleday, and other participants. *Includes pictures of important people and places. "I am of the opinion that, if Sumter was properly garrisoned and armed, it would be a perfect Gibraltar to anything but constant shelling, night and day, from the four points of the compass. As it is, the weakness of the garrison constitutes our greatest advantage, and we must, for the present, turn our attention to preventing it from being re-enforced." - P.G.T. Beauregard At 4:30 a.m. on the morning of April 12, 1861, Confederate Brigadier-General P.G.T. Beauregard ordered the first shots to be fired at the federal garrison defending Fort Sumter in the Charleston Harbor, effectively igniting the Civil War. For nearly 36 hours, Beauregard's Confederates unleashed a general bombardment from 43 guns and mortars positioned at various points across the Harbor, including at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan Island, Fort Johnson off James Island, Cummings Point on Morrison Island, and a specially designed floating battery. Almost immediately, the inherent weakness of Fort Sumter became apparent to its defenders. The fort had been designed to withstand a naval assault, and naval warships of that time did not mount guns capable of elevating high enough to shoot over the walls of forts, but the Confederates' land-based cannons could lob artillery shells and mortar directly inside Fort Sumter. Though the defenders managed to protect themselves inside the Fort, their return fire was completely ineffective, and by the morning of April 13 the Fort was on fire, threatening the garrison. Unable to effectively reply or defend themselves, Major Robert Anderson raised the white flag early in the afternoon of April 13, bringing the first battle of the Civil War to a close. No casualties were suffered on either side during the dueling bombardments across Charleston Harbor, but ironically two U.S. Army soldiers were killed by an accidental explosion during the surrender ceremonies. Fort Sumter is popularly remembered today as the first fighting of the Civil War, and a relatively painless battle at that, but much of the history before April 12 that led to the shelling of the fort is often overlooked. The federal garrison had been stationed there months before the fight, carefully watching the secession of South Carolina, the buildup of Confederate forces in the region, and the actions of the Buchanan Administration and incoming Lincoln administration in the weeks leading up to the bombardment. The Greatest Civil War Battles: The Battle of Fort Sumter comprehensively covers the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Accounts of the battle by important participants like P.G.T. Beauregard, Robert Anderson and Abner Doubleday are also included. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Battle of Fort Sumter like you never have before, in no time at all.

Every battle has two sides, and the Battle of Fort Sumter during the American Civil War is no different. Experience the event from perspecitve of the Union, and then read the perspective of the Confederates. A deeper understanding of the battle from both sides will give readers a clearer view of this event.

*Explains the events that led up to the Battle of Fort Sumter, including the preparations in Charleston Harbor on both sides. *Includes accounts of the fighting and reports by Beauregard, Anderson, Doubleday, and other participants. *Includes pictures of important people and places. "I am of the opinion that, if Sumter was properly garrisoned and armed, it would be a perfect Gibraltar to anything but constant shelling, night and day, from the four points of the compass. As it is, the weakness of the garrison constitutes our greatest advantage, and we must, for the present, turn our attention to preventing it from being re-enforced." - P.G.T. Beauregard At 4:30 a.m. on the morning of April 12, 1861, Confederate Brigadier-General P.G.T. Beauregard ordered the first shots to be fired at the federal garrison defending Fort Sumter in the Charleston Harbor, effectively igniting the Civil War. For nearly 36 hours, Beauregard's Confederates unleashed a general bombardment from 43 guns and mortars positioned at various points across the Harbor, including at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan Island, Fort Johnson off James Island, Cummings Point on Morrison Island, and a specially designed floating battery. Almost immediately, the inherent weakness of Fort Sumter became apparent to its defenders. The fort had been designed to withstand a naval assault, and naval warships of that time did not mount guns capable of elevating high enough to shoot over the walls of forts, but the Confederates' land-based cannons could lob artillery shells and mortar directly inside Fort Sumter. Though the defenders managed to protect themselves inside the Fort, their return fire was completely ineffective, and by the morning of April 13 the Fort was on fire, threatening the garrison. Unable to effectively reply or defend themselves, Major Robert Anderson raised the white flag early in the afternoon of April 13, bringing the first battle of the Civil War to a close. No casualties were suffered on either side during the dueling bombardments across Charleston Harbor, but ironically two U.S. Army soldiers were killed by an accidental explosion during the surrender ceremonies. Fort Sumter is popularly remembered today as the first fighting of the Civil War, and a relatively painless battle at that, but much of the history before April 12 that led to the shelling of the fort is often overlooked. The federal garrison had been stationed there months before the fight, carefully watching the secession of South Carolina, the buildup of Confederate forces in the region, and the actions of the Buchanan Administration and incoming Lincoln administration in the weeks leading up to the bombardment. The Greatest Civil War Battles: The Battle of Fort Sumter comprehensively covers the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Accounts of the battle by important participants like P.G.T. Beauregard, Robert Anderson and Abner Doubleday are also included. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Battle of Fort Sumter like you never have before, in no time at all.

In her diary, Mary Boykin Chesnut, the wife of a Confederate general and aid to president Jefferson Davis, James Chestnut, Jr., presents an eyewitness account of the Civil War.