Confederate cannons opened fire on Union Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in the early morning hours of April 12, 1861 and the American Civil War had begun. Roughly 34 hours later, Major General Robert Anderson surrendered the fort without any loss of life. However, in a final salute to the troops, a gunpowder magazine exploded, killing a few soldiers. The Civil War raged four long years, but on April 14, 1865, General Anderson came out of retirement to again raise the flag at Fort Sumter, which he had lowered by force four years earlier.

Today the fort is a major tourist destination. More about Fort Sumter...