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If you are interested in military history and your future travel plans include Charleston, South Carolina, keep reading this blog.
Fort Sumter
Need For Fort
Fort Sumter: was designed as part of the defensive system protecting Charleston, South Carolina. Its origin stemmed partly from the 1812 war with Great Britain, which had highlighted how vulnerable the coastline and harbors were to foreign attack. The fort was named for Named for Revolutionary War General Thomas Sumter.
Succession of Southern States and Start of War
At the time of succession all forts and navy yards, except Fort Pickens at Pensacola and Fort Sumpter in Charleston had been seized by the Confederates. On April 16, 1861, the first guns of the civil war were fired against Fort Sumter. A relief expedition was sent to Fort Sumter but was unable to get within range. While under siege, the beauty and fashion of Charleston flocked to the waterfront as if going to a gala. The next day, Major Anderson, the Union Commander, his ammunition exhausted, accepted the terms of surrender. He marched out the next day with drums beating and colors flying.
During the Occupation of Fort
Cadets from The Citadel (a military college in Charleston) served as instructors to train green troops in artillery operations, marksmanship, and troop movement drills. Spirits were high in Charleston as troops marched through the city preparing for war.
An Ironic End
Anderson survived the war reaching the rank of Brevet Major General. He returned to Fort Sumter on April 14, 1865, after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender in Appomattox on April 9th. Anderson brought with him the flag that he had taken down in April 1861 and would use it in a flag-raising ceremony. Ironically, Abraham Lincoln was invited to attend that ceremony but opted for a night at Ford’s Theater in Washington DC where he was assassinated.
Sources
- Morison, Samuel Eliot. Oxford History of the American People. Pages 610-611.
- Walking Charleston: The Story of Fort Sumter.
Traveling to Charleston
Traveling to Charleston? Want to learn more?
Book this and you get Fort Sumter admission along with a self-guided tour and round-trip ferry.