Ft. Sumter Falls

Ft. Sumter

In 1861, before the Civil War broke out, seven Southern states had seceded from the Union. These states claimed all the forts within their territories except for two. Ft. Sumter was one of the two forts remaining under Federal jurisdiction, and was the site of the first battle in the Civil War in 1861.  Ft. Sumter had no value strategically in that it was unfinished and all its guns pointed out to sea; however, it became the symbol of the national union. The South demanded that Ft. Sumter be evacuated, and Lincoln refused to allow this “disunion.” He sent supplies to fortify the fort that was being starved out.  Before supplies could arrive at the fort, the South called for its immediate evacuation, which was refused.  The fall of St. Sumter came in April 1861, when Confederate troops opened fire, the fort surrendered after 34 hours of being fired upon.   The fall of Ft. Sumter is significant because the Civil War began with the South first firing upon Ft. Sumter.