Today marks the 150th anniversary of the shelling of Fort Sumter, the first shots of the American Civil War.
The battle itself would only last thirty-two hours; undermanned and out of ammunition, the Union force holding the fort could only mount a brief defense for honor and principle's sake before surrendering the afternoon of April 13th, 1861. They had suffered only a few casualties but were out of ammunition.
It would be a long four years before the guns again fell silent.
Jim Lacey has an excellent piece on the battle over at National Review; this first battle contained some of the quirks that typified the Civil War - opposing commanders knew one another, men had acquaintances and friends on both sides, journeys were made full circle. It would be a hard, heartbreaking, and strange war.
The battle itself would only last thirty-two hours; undermanned and out of ammunition, the Union force holding the fort could only mount a brief defense for honor and principle's sake before surrendering the afternoon of April 13th, 1861. They had suffered only a few casualties but were out of ammunition.
It would be a long four years before the guns again fell silent.
Jim Lacey has an excellent piece on the battle over at National Review; this first battle contained some of the quirks that typified the Civil War - opposing commanders knew one another, men had acquaintances and friends on both sides, journeys were made full circle. It would be a hard, heartbreaking, and strange war.
