THE FIRST YEAR BEGINS: April 12 1861---The Attack on Fort Sumter

APRIL 12, 1861:           

The attack on Fort Sumter: In the first definitive battle of the Civil War, Major Anderson tells Confederate representatives that he must evacuate the fort if not reinforced and resupplied by April 15. The Confederates are aware that relief ships are coming and are just hours away. Fort Sumter becomes a turning point.

The Civil War formally begins when the South Carolinians begin to bombard the fort at 4:30 a.m. on April 12.

Confederate forces bombard Fort Sumter for 34 hours. Union forces begin to return fire starting at 7:30 a.m., but the garrison is too small to man all its guns, some of which are not in working order in any event.

The attack on Fort Sumter marks the opening phase of the Civil War: A series of essentially inconclusive small unit low casualty actions that mislead the public into thinking the war will be short, bloodless, and end with a rapproachment between the sides. Whether that means the reunification of the United States or Confederate independence is a matter of opinion.