Download the attack on fort sumter

THE ATTACK ON
FORT SUMTER
April 12, 1861
FORT SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA
Union Commander – Robert
Anderson
• Commander of
Fort Sumter,
South Carolina
Abner Doubleday
• Fired the first
shot in defense
of Fort Sumter
Confederate Commander –
P.G.T. Beauregard
• Pierre Gustave
Toutant Beauregard
• Confederate
Commander in
Charleston, South
Carolina
Background
• South Carolina
secedes in December
1860
• Six more southern
states secede by
February 1861
• Feb 7, 1861 –
CONFEDERATE
STATES OF
AMERICA are born
• Confederate forces seize
all but four federal forts in
their borders
• President Buchanan tries
to restock one of the
Union forts (Fort Sumter)
via a trade ship called
Star of the West
(attempt fails – fired upon
by Citadel cadets)
Abraham Lincoln
• March 4, 1861 – Lincoln
sworn in
– Purpose of the Constitution
is to make a “more perfect
Union” over the AOC
– AOC was perpetual,
therefore the Constitutional
union is perpetual
– If it is simply a contract,
would not all have to void
it?
– Stated he would not
“invade” the South, nor did
he intend to end slavery,
but would work to keep
“federal property”
Jefferson Davis
• Jefferson Davis is chosen as
first CSA President
– Stated the Constitution was
an “agreement” of
partnership.
– Stated the agreement was
terminated on withdrawal of
either party.
– South tried to pay Union for
the federal property in their
hands and set a peace
treaty
– Lincoln refused, as it would
be “recognizing” their
sovereignty
– Informal negotiations also
failed
The Siege
• Six days after the secession of SC, US Army Major
Robert Anderson orders the abandoning of Fort Moultrie
(old, indefensible) and their moving “in secret” to Fort
Sumter across the bay.
– To many, this seemed like a breach of faith in SC.
– SC government demanded Fort Sumter be abandoned.
• Tensions had been so high in the area that South
Carolina had put picket ships in the harbor to watch the
coming and going of Union troops.
• To many, this seemed like a siege of the fort.
– This would become a reality
Early 1861
• After the formation of the Confederacy, there
was debate among secessionists over whether
capture of a fort and their provisions belonged to
the state or the CSA itself.
• A second debate was whether or not the CSA
should use force to dismiss the Union from
remaining forts
• Jefferson Davis, like Lincoln, preferred not to be
seen as the aggressor
– Would lose valuable political points
Tensions heighten
• PGT Beauregard takes command of the
siege in Charleston at Fort Sumter
– Demanded either surrender or withdraw
– Would not allow any supplies (including food)
were made available to the defenders
• Robert Anderson had been Beauregard’s
artillery instructor at West Point
– Became close after graduation
– Beauregard became Anderson’s assistant
before the war.
Lincoln makes a move
• Lincoln realizes how low supplies are for the fort
– Announces on April 6 he will attempt to send
provisions only to the fort via ship.
– Unless an attack occurs, no men, arms, or
ammunition will be offloaded
• Confederacy decides on April 9, 1861 they will
open fire before the supply ship arrives
– CSA Secretary of State Robert Toombs is the only
one who votes against this, knowing it will be political
suicide.
April 12, 1861
• 4:30 am – a single shot from Fort Johnson
exploded over Fort Sumter, marking the
beginning of the shelling.
– Four shelling stations
• Fort Moultrie
• Fort Johnson
• Floating batteries in Charleston Harbor and Cummings Point
• Union troops did not respond until 7:00am when
Abner Doubleday was ordered to fire in return
– Anderson had little he could do due to placement of
the guns and fort make up
GUNS ON TOP LEVEL – BEST
ACCURACY BUT MOST
DANGEROUS – POTENTIAL
CASUALTIES
GUNS UNDER THE
EMPLACEMENTS
WERE SAFER, BUT
ONLY CAPABLE OF
DIRECT FIRE – LITTLE
RESULTS
Surrender
• Union troops were running low on supplies
after 30+ hours
• One shell hit officers HQ starting a serious
fire
• Finally, Anderson agrees to surrender the
fort at 2:00pm on April 13, 1861
• Nobody was killed during the fighting, but
2 casualties during surrender ceremonies
– Daniel Hough (first soldier killed in Civil War)
Post Surrender
• Transfer of the fort occurs April 14, 1861
• Union troops left the fort and were transported
the next day to Union territory
• Fort Sumter stays in the hands of the CSA for
the entire war
– On April 14, 1865, Major General Robert Anderson
raises the Union colors over the fort
• Following the surrender of Fort Sumter, Lincoln
calls for 75K men to recapture the forts and
preserve the Union (felt it would take only 3
months – how wrong he was)