From: CWSAC
Fort Sumter
Other Names: None
Location: Charleston County
Campaign: Operations in Charleston Harbor (April 1861)
Date(s): April 12-14, 1861
Principal Commanders: Maj. Robert Anderson [US]; Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard [CS]
Forces Engaged: Regiments: 580 total (US 80; CS est. 500)
Estimated Casualties: None
Description: On April 10, 1861, Brig. Gen. Beauregard, in command of the provisional Confederate forces at Charleston, South Carolina, demanded the surrender of the Union garrison of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. Garrison commander Anderson refused. On April 12, Confederate batteries opened fire on the fort, which was unable to reply effectively. At 2:30 pm, April 13, Major Anderson surrendered Fort Sumter, evacuating the garrison on the following day. The bombardment of Fort Sumter was the opening engagement of the American Civil War. Although there were no casualties during the bombardment, one Union artillerist was killed and three wounded (one mortally) when a cannon exploded prematurely while firing a salute during the evacuation on April 14.
Result(s): Confederate victory
CWSAC Reference #: SC001
Preservation Priority: III.1 (Class A)
The report from the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission is misleading and in gross error. The report provides an estimate for the forces engaged which undercounts the U.S. Army forces by about 6 percent and grossly undercounts the Confederate forces under the command of Brigadier-General G. T. Beauregard. The estimated force of 500 in the report appears to limit itself to counting only part of the artillery batteries which immediately engaged Fort Sumter, omitting other artillery batteries, all of the infantry regiments, and the mounted troops. Looking at the South Carolina Army and/or Confederate Army forces just on Sullivan’s Island alone, Colonel Pettigrew’s 1st Regiment of Rifles, the German Flying Artillery, Colonel Richard Anderson’s South Carolina Regulars Infantry Regiment, and Captain B. H. Rutledge’s Charleston Light Dragoons outnumbered all of the U.S. Army forces in the entire United States east of the Mississippi River. Harper & Brother United States History, 1905, Volume VIII reported:
The legislature of South Carolina authorized the organization of 10,000 men, and M. L. Bonham, late member of Congress, was appointed major-general of the State forces. Volunteers from every part of the Confederacy flocked into Charleston, and at the close of March not less than 7,000 armed men and 120 pieces of cannon, mounted on logs and earthworks. were menacing Major Anderson and his garrison. These were under the general command of PIERRE G. T. BEAUREGARD, who had been commissioned a brigadier-general by Jefferson Davis. He had arrived at Charleston on March 4.
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/battle-fort-sumter.htm
The Wikipedia article about the Battle of Fort Sumter cites a Time-Life book about the Civil War which says:
Beauregard, a trained military engineer, built-up overwhelming strength to challenge Fort Sumter. Fort Moultrie had three 8-inch Columbiads, two 8-inch howitzers, five 32-pound smoothbores, and four 24-pounders. Outside of Moultrie were five 10-inch mortars, two 32-pounders, two 24-pounders, and a 9-inch Dahlgren smoothbore. The floating battery next to Fort Moultrie had two 42-pounders and two 32-pounders on a raft protected by iron shielding. Fort Johnson on James Island had one 24-pounder and four 10-inch mortars. At Cummings Point on Morris Island, the Confederates had emplaced seven 10-inch mortars, two 42-pounders, an English Blakely rifled cannon, and three 8-inch Columbiads, the latter in the so-called Iron Battery, protected by a wooden shield faced with iron bars. About 6,000 men were available to man the artillery and to assault the fort, if necessary, including the local militia, young boys and older men.[19]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Sumter
Although the precise details about the artillery used and their locations is the subject of some minor dispute, such as Capt. Fosters reports, the Wikipedia is a fair representation of the coastal artillery most used in the engagement. The report of the 120 guns in BG Beauregard’s commend represents the field artillery which were not useful as coastal guns and siege guns against a harbor fortress like Fort Sumter. Their purpose was to be used in land engagements against troops and land fortifications, such as any infantry, cavalry, and artillery the U.S. Army may have attempted to put ashore in landing parties.