The Battle of Fort Sumter, which took place from April 12 to April 13, 1861, was the opening engagement of the American Civil War. It occurred at Fort Sumter, a Union fort located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Following South Carolina's secession from the Union in December 1860, Confederate forces demanded the evacuation of the fort. Major Robert Anderson, commanding the Union garrison, refused to leave. At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, Confederate artillery batteries surrounding Charleston Harbor began bombarding Fort Sumter. The Union forces returned fire but were heavily outgunned. The bombardment lasted for about 34 hours, during which over 3,000 shells were fired at the fort, causing fires and significant damage to the wooden buildings inside the fort
. On April 13, with supplies nearly exhausted and much of the fort on fire, Major Anderson agreed to surrender. The Union troops were allowed to evacuate with honors, including a 100-gun salute to the U.S. flag. Tragically, during the salute, a cannon exploded prematurely, killing two Union soldiers and wounding others-the first casualties of the Civil War
. The Confederate forces then took control of Fort Sumter on April 14. The battle itself caused no deaths during the fighting, but it marked the start of the Civil War and led to widespread calls for military action on both sides. President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion, prompting more Southern states to secede and join the Confederacy
. In summary, Fort Sumter was bombarded by Confederate forces, leading to the Union surrender after 34 hours of fighting, with the event marking the official start of the American Civil War
