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History–Tours
186112–13 April 1861 · Charleston Harbor

Bombardment of Fort Sumter

Contemporary lithograph of Confederate batteries bombarding Fort Sumter in Charleston harbour, April 1861
Archival image: Popular Graphic Arts. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

After South Carolina seceded to protect slavery, Confederate batteries around Charleston Harbor bombarded the US Army garrison at Fort Sumter for 34 hours until it surrendered. No one was killed in the bombardment itself, but Lincoln called for volunteers and four more states seceded. The American Civil War had begun.

Sites

  1. Site 1: Fort SumterReduced brick walls and gun casemates, reached by ferry.Map ↗
  2. Site 2: Fort MoultrieSullivan's Island fort that fired on Sumter.Map ↗

Guides who take you there

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More from the 18th & 19th Century

Read more: reference. Summary written by History-Tours.com.