Fort Sumter
Decades of growing strife between North and South erupted in civil war on April 12, 1861, when Confederate artillery opened fire on this Federal fort in Charleston Harbor. Fort Sumter surrendered 34 hours later. Union forces would try for nearly four years to take it back.
For more information visit the National Parks and Recreation website.
Details
A little known fact is that the first shot of the American Civil War didn't hit anything. It was a 10-inch mortar shell that exploded above Fort Sumter as a signal for Confederate artillery to open fire on the Union-held fort.
The first Union shot of the Civil War were fired by Captain Abner Doubleday of baseball fame. Capt. Doubleday was the second senior officer at Fort Sumter, under Major Robert Anderson.
