Fort Sumter National Monument

Where the Civil War Began

Plot

The firing on Fort Sumter, on April 12, 1861, marked the beginning of the American Civil War. Once Major Anderson evacuated the fort on April 14, it was occupied by Confederate troops. A story less familiar is the defense of Fort Sumter by those Confederate troops for 567 days, the longest siege of the Civil War. With often no more than 300 men, the garrison at Fort Sumter defied the Union army and navy by repelling an ironclad attack by sea, an amphibious attack by sailors and marines, and the longest and most intense bombardment of the war. Learn the story of the fort that, in 1864, Union Rear Admiral Dalgren asserted was “nearly impregnable.” Join historian Doug Bostick as he unveils the full story of Fort Sumter, from the first shot to the Confederate evacuation.