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Fort Sumter
April 12 - 14, 1861
Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
On April 12, 1861, General P.G.T. Beauregard, in command of the Confederate forces around Charleston Harbor, opened fire on the Union garrison holding Fort Sumter. At 2:30pm on April 13 Major Robert Anderson, garrison commander, surrendered the fort and was evacuated the next day.
Fort Sumter News
- Charleston marks 'emotionally charged' Civil War anniversary (USA Today) »
- Lone mortar shell in Charleston opens 150th anniversary of Civil War (USA Today) »
- When Fort Sumter was fired on in 1861, modern America was born (Washington Post) »
- 'It's War!': Newspapers Report Outbreak of Civil War (Parade) »
Civil War Trust News Releases
Featured Article
See Fort Sumter in 3-D
In this photography special you will see Civil War photos of historic Fort Sumter as the photographers intended - in three dimensions.
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Photos
Explore our collection of modern and historic images related to Sumter during the Civil War.
Videos
Garry Adelman describes the rich photographic heritage of Civil War Charleston in this exclusive online video Watch the Video »
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