FORT SUMTER, built upon a shoal in the narrowest part of the channel of Charles ton Harbor, three and a half miles from the city and three-fourths of a mile from the north end of Morris Island, was constructed on a rip-rap foundation, its walls of brick being 38 feet high and feet thick. When South Carolina seceded, the fort was unfinished and not garrisoned, but men were engaged in the work and in mounting guns. South Carolina passed an ordinance of secession on 20 Dec. 1860, and the Secessionists looked to the im mediate possession of all the forts in the har bor, one of which, Fort Moultrie, was held by Maj. Robert Anderson, with a garrison of 75 men. Fort Moultrie was indefensible from a land attack, and Anderson, believing that he was about to be attacked, on 26 December, skilfully transferred his command to Fort Sumter, the strongest and most inaccessible work in the harbor. Governor Pickens de manded Anderson's immediate return to Fort Moultrie. Anderson refused, and the gover nor took possession of Fort Moultrie and all other works in the harbor, and seized the arsenal, post office and custom house in Charles ton, raised the Palmetto flag over them, and thus inaugurated war against the United States. He began the construction of batteries on James, Morris and Sullivan Islands to com mand the harbor and reduce Fort Sumter. On 9 Jan. 1861 the merchant steamer Star of the West endeavored to land reinforcements and provisions for Fort Sumter, but was fired upon by the Secession batteries and driven back. Again Governor Pickens demanded the sur render of the fort, again Anderson refused, and negotiations were transferred to Washington. The construction of batteries continued and 1 March General Beauregard was assigned to the command of all the Confederate forces at Charleston, with instructions to perfect prep arations for reducing Fort Sumter. Anderson was now in danger of being starved out and, in accordance with promise given, Governor Pickens, was informed 8 April by a special messenger sent by President Lincoln, that an attempt would be made to land provisions, and provisions only, at Fort Sumter. Beauregard notified the Confederate government, and re ceived orders 10 April to demand the evacua tion of the fort, and to reduce it if refused. The demand was made at noon of the 11th. Anderson refused, but made the casual remark to the messengers carrying Beauregard's de mand that, if left alone, hn would be starved out in a few days, and Beauregard, °to avoid effusion of blood," asked when he would be ready to leave the fort. Anderson said he
would evacuate the fort by noon of the 15th, should he not prior to that time receive "con trolling instructions" from his government or °additional The reply was not satis factory, and 3.20 A.M. of the 12th Anderson was notified that fire would be opened within an hour. At 4.30 A.M. the signal-gun was fired from Fort Johnson on James Island; all the batteries opened fire; Anderson replied de liberately; in 24 hours 2,500 shot and shell struck the fort or fell inside of it; the bar racks were burned and the fort much damaged; the relieving fleet could not land; and on the afternoon of the 13th terms were arranged under which, on the afternoon of the 14th, An derson saluted his flag and, with drums beating and colors flying, marched with his garrison out of the fort, was conveyed to a steamer and sailed for New York. During the bom bardment not a man was killed on either side.
When Fort Sumter fell into Confederate possession it had 78 serviceable guns. Addi tional guns were mounted in it and it was well garrisoned. The Union authorities stink a number of old whalers filled with stones in the main channel of Charleston Harbor to close the port to blockade-runners, and a blockading force was maintained off the harbor; hut it was not until 7 April 1863 that any serious operation was attempted against the fort. Then Dupont, with nine ironclads, made an un successful attack upon it. One of the ironclads, the Keokuk, which had approached nearest to the fort, was struck 90 times, and so much in jured that she sunk off Morris Island, and her armament fell into the hands of the enemy, while the others withdrew after an engage ment of 40 minutes, most of them disabled by the fire of the 69 heavy guns brought to bear upon them. The fleet fired 151 shots, not more than 34 of which struck the walls of the fort. Sumter discharged 810 shot, Fort Moultrie and other batteries 1,399; in all 2,209, of which 520 struck the different vessels. It had been expected that the fort would be re duced to a pile of ruins before the sun went down, but the result convinced the Union au thorities that the fort and adjoining works could not be reduced by a purely naval attack.