Also known as: bombardment of Fort Sumter.
| Opening bombardment | April 12-13, 1861 |
|---|---|
| Location | Charleston Harbor, South Carolina |
| Later action | Repeated heavy Federal bombardments during the 1863 siege of Charleston |
First and last shots
The war began at Fort Sumter when Confederate batteries ringing Charleston Harbor opened fire on the Federal garrison on the morning of April 12, 1861, and forced its surrender the next day. The guns that opened on Sumter included mortars and columbiads in the surrounding works.
In 1863 the situation reversed as Federal forces laid siege to Charleston. Heavy rifled guns, including large Parrott rifles, subjected the by-then Confederate-held fort to prolonged bombardments that reduced much of it to rubble, though it held out until early 1865.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- U.S. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: GPO, 1880-1901.
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: fort and battlefield references, manuals, and reports.