Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

April 12, 1861: The Civil War Begins
Fold3 ^ | April 1, 2021 | Jenny Ashcraft

Posted on 04/02/2021 9:04:55 AM PDT by gattaca

On April 12, 1861, Confederate troops fired the opening shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. This month marks the 160th anniversary of the beginning of the war, the deadliest conflict ever fought on American soil. The Civil War lasted four years and resulted in an estimated 620,000 deaths and 1.5 million casualties. Approximately one in four soldiers that went to war never came back home. This impacted families, communities, and the entire country for generations to come.

Historical photograph of Fort Sumter The years leading up to the beginning of the Civil War were filled with increasing tensions between northern and southern states. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president by a strictly northern vote. The election was the impetus for southern states, who were already wrangling with the North on issues like slavery, states’ rights, and westward expansion, to begin the process of secession. Four days after the election, South Carolina Senator James Chesnut resigned his Senate seat and began drafting secession documents. Before long, six more states joined South Carolina to form the Confederate States of America on February 8, 1861. That number increased to 11 states after the fall of Fort Sumter. Four border states (Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri) held enslaved persons but remained loyal to the Union.

Exterior view of Fort Sumter Fort Sumter, originally built as a coastal garrison, was located at the entrance to Charleston Harbor. Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard, from the newly formed Confederate States Army, demanded federal officials turn over the fort. He claimed the fort was located in Confederate territory and thus belonged to the South. President Lincoln refused and made attempts to send a ship to resupply the fort. The ship was turned away by Confederate guns.

Tensions grew, and Beauregard finally sent US officials an ultimatum – abandon the fort or face destruction. At 4:30 a.m. on April 12th, some 500 soldiers from the South Carolina Militia opened fire on 80 Federal soldiers inside the fort. The bombardment continued for 34 hours until the afternoon of April 13th, when the garrison commander, Major Robert Anderson, surrendered the fort. Though there were no fatalities on either side during the Battle of Fort Sumter, the conflict marked the beginning of more than 10,000 military engagements that occurred between 1861-1865.

Interior View of Fort Sumter Fold3® has an extensive collection of Civil War records including:

Brady Civil War Photos: The Civil War is considered the first major conflict to be photographed extensively. Mathew Brady led a photography team that captured images of the war using a mobile studio and darkroom. Civil War Maps: This collection of 2,000 detailed battle maps provides insight into Civil War engagements. Some maps show the placement of regiments and the movement of troops. Civil War “Widows Pensions” Files: Only 20% of Civil War pension files are digitized, but if you are lucky enough to find the pension file for your ancestor, you’ll uncover a treasure trove of information. Civil War Service Records: We have service records for both Union and Confederate troops. These records are organized by state. Service Records for US Colored Troops: Approximately 179,000 Black men served in the US Army and another 19,000 in the US Navy. Despite facing racism and discrimination, the US Colored Troops served with valor and honor. These records are organized by regiment. Southern Claims Approved: After the war, the US government established the Southern Claims Commission. This office accepted petitions for compensation for items taken by Union troops during the war. In addition to these collections, Fold3 has more than 150 additional collections that contain 43 million Civil War records. Start searching our Civil War collection today on Fold3®.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: 18610412; fortsumter; thecivilwar
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 361-366 next last
To: eyedigress

So the states can form their own Air Force and Marine Corp because neither of these is mentioned in the Constitution.


61 posted on 04/02/2021 3:52:06 PM PDT by Bull Snipe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress

Your beloved Confederacy was a Socialst tyrany that oppressed it’s member states. It needed to die, and Sherman did the job, but not soon enough.


62 posted on 04/02/2021 3:52:15 PM PDT by cowboyusa (America Cowboy up!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: Bull Snipe

South Carolina left the union.

They told DC to get off their land.


63 posted on 04/02/2021 3:53:17 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: cowboyusa

This is a political argument.


64 posted on 04/02/2021 3:54:11 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Bull Snipe

DC can do it via the militia of the states that belong.


65 posted on 04/02/2021 3:57:35 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: FLT-bird
I think war for Southern Independence more fitting.

Not really since independence wasn't in the cards for about one-third the population. Rebellion is defined as " open, armed, and usually unsuccessful defiance of or resistance to an established government". That's a very accurate description of the Southern attempt.

66 posted on 04/02/2021 3:57:49 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Pelham
“Once in, always in”, an early and American version of the Brezhnev Doctrine.

Hardly.

Probably not a coincidence that OG commie Karl Marx was an ardent supporter of the 1860 episode.

You really expected him to support a revolution meant in no small part to preserve slavery? Really?

67 posted on 04/02/2021 3:59:10 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: cowboyusa

I do not disagree that conditions in the south were wrong,

but I do disagree with the perception that DC had the authority to force states to stay in the union.


68 posted on 04/02/2021 4:00:56 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress
Tell me why the Supreme Court did not take up any case when South Carolina ceded from the union?

Well there was an armed rebellion going on. But in several cases over the course of the war the Supreme Court did identify the southern actions as a rebellion. And of course after the war there was the Texas v. White decision.

69 posted on 04/02/2021 4:01:06 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress
No. The states in the south did succeed from the union.

The US Constitution had no provision for that, therefore it was left to the states to do just that if they wished.

So you're saying that the Constitution allows a state or states to use it to punish or harm the interests of the other states? I'd love to see you quote where.

The “War of Northern Aggression” is the applicable term.

LOL! I'll bet you call World War II the 'War of Polish Aggression' too.

70 posted on 04/02/2021 4:03:45 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Bull Snipe
“All Appomattox was the last gasp of one side going down in total defeat.”

You say “all”?

Appomattox did not tidy things up. It stood the U.S. Constitution on its head.

Read the million page Federal Register - or is it two million pages now? - and then come back on this board and tell us the 9th and 10th amendments are intact, and there is no federal overreach.

71 posted on 04/02/2021 4:04:26 PM PDT by jeffersondem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: the OlLine Rebel
Wow, sounds like the so-called RevWar.

The difference, of course, being that the Founding Fathers won their rebellion and the Southerners lost theirs. I guess they just didn't want it hard enough, huh?

72 posted on 04/02/2021 4:04:54 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg
I'll bet you call World War II the 'War of Polish Aggression' too.


Why would I talk about WWII?

73 posted on 04/02/2021 4:05:42 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Bull Snipe
So the states can form their own Air Force and Marine Corp because neither of these is mentioned in the Constitution.

Heck the U.S. can't even have an Air Force or a Space Force because the Constitution doesn't explicitly allow them. Or NASA. Or an air traffic control system. Or a Department of State. Or so they would have us believe.

74 posted on 04/02/2021 4:09:57 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg
“Rebellion is defined as “ open, armed, and usually unsuccessful defiance of or resistance to an established government”.

The South was in rebellion, but only in the sense of the original, legitimate American Revolution.

Your gratuitous inclusion of the words “usually unsuccessful” does not change anything.

75 posted on 04/02/2021 4:10:41 PM PDT by jeffersondem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

Did the poles demand Hitler to leave and he refused?


76 posted on 04/02/2021 4:10:49 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress
Why would I talk about WWII?

Because calling the the War of Polish Aggression make about as much sense as calling it the War of Northern Aggression. In both cases it was the other side that was the aggressor.

77 posted on 04/02/2021 4:11:46 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: jeffersondem
The South was in rebellion, but only in the sense of the original, legitimate American Revolution.

Which, if memory serves, resulted in a war. Which, fortunately, the Founding Fathers one. Unlike your rebel leadership.

78 posted on 04/02/2021 4:13:01 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg
The government can HAVE whatever it needs for invasion.

You just posted it.

79 posted on 04/02/2021 4:13:39 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

The Founders lost.

They escaped liberalism and set up liberty hoping it would multiply.

Liberals came in and killed it.


80 posted on 04/02/2021 4:15:33 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 361-366 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson