FORT SUMTER By Rachel Kitto

V IDEO C LIP war-fort-sumter-the-civil-war-begins-video.htm

C ONSTRUCTION Named after a revolutionary war hero, General Thomas Sumter Located in Charleston County, South Carolina. (Charleston Harbor) Built after the war of 1812, along with many other forts along the southern U.S. coast Construction for the fort began in 1827 and was still unfinished in 1860 A five-sided brick fort that covered over 199 acres. The fort stood 50 feet above the low tide mark and had walls 5 feet deep. Designed to house 650 men and 135 guns.

I MPORTANCE Where the first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861

F IRST B ATTLE OF THE C IVIL W AR Union soldiers (127 men) under the command of U.S. Army Major Robert Anderson were stationed at Fort Sumter when Confederate Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard arrived. On April 11, 1861 Beauregard demand the surrender of the fort. Anderson declined. On April 12, 1861 at 4:30 AM Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sumter The firing lasted for 34 straight hours on the fort. On April 13, Union soldiers surrendered and evacuated the fort No one was killed during the firing The Confederates would hold the fort for another 4 years

E ND OF THE C IVIL W AR The Confederacy never surrendered Fort Sumter, but General William T. Sherman’s advance through South Carolina finally forced the Confederates to evacuate Charleston on February 17, 1865 and abandon Fort Sumter. The U.S. government officially claimed Fort Sumter on February 22, 1865 with a flag raising ceremony.

A FTER THE W AR Fort Sumter was in ruins after the war. The U.S. Army worked to restore it as a useful military installation. From 1876 to 1897, Fort Sumter was used only as an unmanned lighthouse station. The start of the Spanish-American War prompted renewed interest in its military use and reconstruction began on the sections of the fort that had further eroded over time. Until World War II, the fort was unused except as a tourist destination Fort Sumter became a U.S. National Monument in 1948.

F ORT S UMTER AS A N ATIONAL M ONUMENT Fort Sumter National Monument is based of three sites in Charleston: the original Fort Sumter, the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, and the Fort Moultrie National Monument on Sullivan's Island. The museum at Fort Sumter focuses on the activities at the fort, including its construction and role during the Civil War. Accesses to Fort Sumter itself consist of a 30 minute ferry ride.

B IBLIOGRAPHY Websites e&resnum=16&ved=0CDoQ5wIwDw&fp=6b22d27f49a5e7dd Books The world book Encyclopedia, volume 7,Book F, pg. 360 A History of American People, pgs. 519,528, Pictures Video