Fort Sumter National Monument

Fort Sumter National Monument, historic site preserving Fort Sumter, location of the first engagement of the American Civil War (April 12, 1861). Fort Sumter was designed as part of the defensive system protecting Charleston, South Carolina. Its origin stemmed partly from the 1812 war with Great Britain, which had highlighted how vulnerable the coastline and harbours were to foreign attack.

1 of 3

2 of 3

3 of 3

The fort is situated on an artificial island at the entrance to Charleston Harbor. Construction of the fort, named for the American Revolutionary War general Thomas Sumter, began in 1829 and was still in progress in 1861. The national monument, established in 1948, also includes Fort Moultrie National Monument and covers 196 acres (79 hectares). Located on nearby Sullivan’s Island, Fort Moultrie was the site of an American victory against the British (June 28, 1776) in the American Revolution, when the fort was called Fort Sullivan; it was later renamed for William Moultrie, the fort’s commanding officer at the time of the battle. The Seminole Indian leader Osceola is buried there.

By early 1861 the seven Southern states that had already seceded from the Union claimed possession of all U.S. forts and arsenals within their territory. Only two forts remained under federal jurisdiction: Fort Pickens, Florida, and Fort Sumter, which was garrisoned by U.S. troops under Maj. Robert Anderson. Sumter was of no strategic value to the Union—it was incomplete and its 60 guns pointed out to sea—but it assumed critical value as a symbol of national union. When Pres. Abraham Lincoln took office in March, he was faced with the Confederate demand for evacuation of the fort, which was threatened by other fortifications erected by South Carolina in the harbour area. Lincoln had either to attempt resupplying the fort, then in danger of being starved out, or to abandon it and accede to disunion. The president determined to prepare relief expeditions to both forts, but, before the arrival of supplies, Confederate authorities demanded Fort Sumter’s immediate evacuation. When this was refused, the South’s batteries opened fire at 4:27 am on April 12, and Anderson was forced to surrender after 34 hours of shelling. On April 14 Fort Sumter was evacuated by federal troops, who marched out waving the American flag to a gun salute; on the 50th round of a 100-gun salute, an explosion occurred, causing the only death of the engagement. The shelling of U.S. property aroused and united the North. During the war the Confederates manning the fort withstood almost constant bombardment from July 1863 to February 1865. The fort itself was largely reduced to rubble.

Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.

SIGN UP

" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">

Thank you for signing up!"

Back to homepage

By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

After the Civil War, Fort Sumter was used for some years as an uncrewed lighthouse. Rebuilding and restoration work began around 1898, and it was used by the military during World War I and World War II. The monument preserves the ruins of Fort Sumter, which was later partly rebuilt and modified. The extant Fort Moultrie dates from 1809. Fort Sumter is accessible by boat, whereas Fort Moultrie can be reached by road. Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is located a few miles to the northeast on the mainland. Established in 1988, it preserves 28 acres (11 hectares) of American statesman Charles Pinckney’s 715-acre (289-hectare) Snee Farm. Exhibits focus on Pinckney’s contribution to the framing of the U.S. Constitution and archaeological excavations of original 18th-century structures.