Battle of Fort Sumter
1861 CE · South Carolina, USA
The Battle of Fort Sumter was fought in 1861 CE in South Carolina, USA between Confederate States vs the United States; Confederate victory; the Union garrison surrendered after a 34-hour bombardment and the Civil War began.
Battle of Fort Sumter: quick facts
- Date
- 1861 CE
- Location
- South Carolina, USA
- Belligerents
- Confederate States vs the United States
- Commanders
- P. G. T. Beauregard vs Robert Anderson
- Result
- Confederate victory; the Union garrison surrendered after a 34-hour bombardment and the Civil War began.
- Casualties
- no one was killed during the bombardment itself
- Era
- 🦅 American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Battle of Fort Sumter?
On April 12, 1861, Confederate batteries opened fire on the Union-held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, beginning the American Civil War. Major Robert Anderson's small garrison held out for 34 hours before surrendering. Remarkably, no one was killed during the bombardment itself. The attack galvanized the North, and President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers, prompting four more Southern states to join the Confederacy.
Did you know?
Remarkably, no one was killed during the 34-hour bombardment of Fort Sumter. The only fatalities occurred during the surrender ceremony when a cannon accidentally exploded during the salute.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Fort Sumter on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.