What Is Fort Sumter?
Fort Sumter was the setting of the first shots fired in the Civil War!
What Makes It Historical?
After the British successfully invaded Washington, DC by sea during the War of 1812, the startled U.S. set to fortifying its coastline to make sure such a thing never happened again! Down here in Charleston, engineers got to work in 1829 adding granite and timber to a sand bar and creating an artificial island. Their goal was to set up a brick fort in the middle of the harbor, tentatively named for Senator/Congressman, Thomas Sumter!
Fort Sumter could have been the strongest fort in the world, but it was never completed! It was in a tough spot for building, and there were issues with weather, disease, funding, and who actually owned it! See, South Carolina had ceded three forts to the federal government in 1805, and the Palmetto State would eventually be convinced to cede Fort Sumter as well. But then they added se- to -cede in 1860, dropping their allegiance to the U.S. and changing their tune on the forts in their harbor!
Just after secession, U.S. Army Major Robert Anderson moved his troops from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter, and that really ticked off South Carolina Governor Pickens! He demanded full control of Fort Sumter, but President Buchanan, then Lincoln, said no! The first shots of the Civil War were fired on January 9, 1861 as cadets at the Citadel military academy fired on supply ships sent to help the soldiers at Fort Sumter!
It wasn’t enough, and starting on April 11, 1861, the Confederate troops of Charleston bombarded Fort Sumter for 34 straight hours, forcing the Union to give it up! The Union evacuated, salvaging the ragged Stars & Stripes, which became the center of fundraising for the war in the North! The Confederacy held on to Fort Sumter until the end when Charleston evacuated ahead of the arrival of William Tecumseh Sherman! It would go on to serve as a lighthouse, a battery, and ultimately, in 1948, a national park site!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park!
- Donate to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
Liberty Square Ferry Dock
- 340 Concord Street
Charleston, SC 29401
Patriots Point Ferry Dock
- 40 Patriots Point Rd
Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
When Should I Visit the Park?
The visitor center is open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM! Ferries to the fort leave daily from Liberty Square at 9:30 AM, 12:00 PM, and 2:30 PM! You can also catch a ferry from Patriots Point at 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM!
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