April 12, 1861 (Friday)

The Civil War has Begun.....

Today, the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter.  Following are a number of links highlighting this day.

From the Civil War Trust, Fort Sumter Animated Map -- The First Shots of the Civil War. 

also, Fort Sumter, a Photo Gallery


Hat tip, Daily Chronicles of the American Civil War -- two maps on the bombardment of Fort Sumter appear... 

Map One:  

Map Two:


The Battle of Fort Sumter


Hat tip from Charleston -- The Post and Courier, "Charleston at War:  Shells rain on Sumter in war's first battle," January 9, 2011. 


From The American Civil War, April 12, 1861, "Diary of Margaret Ann Meta Morris Grimball."

"All yesterday I was in a most terrible state of anxiety and misery, about my boys -- but I know my case is not different from others.  Mrs. Elliott, the mother of William's Captain, has her only child down there, Mrs. Lowndes her only son, and many others, but mine are very fine boys, and very dear to me, still they must do their duty to their State; and I put my trust in my God, and their God, my Savior and their Savior, -- and I pray for them, and for myself -- The Government at Washington seems full of duplicity, and in looking back to the conduct of the seceding States, there seems to have been a truthful and noble faith, actuating them."


Hat tip Civil War Daily Gazette:  "The Bombardment of Fort Sumter," April 12, 1861. 

At the end of the day:  "The sun had slipped across the sky and now twilight fell upon the scene.  Anderson had further reduced his firing to just two guns and then, by 7 p.m., all fire from the fort was halted until morning.  The flag, however, still flew.  Beauregard's guns were also silent, but for two batteries of mortars firing once every 15 minutes.

A storm had blown in, bringing with it strong winds, rough seas and torrents of rain.  With the weather and nightfall closing any chance of a troop landing -- the war's first day of battle trickled to an anti-climatic ending."