JDwoody
03-25-2020, 04:54 AM
Going to be making a series of posts on the history of the Civil War through pictures and artwork. Whenever I shift focus from a specific theater, I'll put in bold text the theater name ahead of the picture caption.
11806
Lower Seaboard Theater: The American Civil War begins with the Confederate bombardment of the Federal 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment garrison at Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina - the Battle of Fort Sumter. Operations in Charleston Harbor (1861), April 12th - 13th, 1861.
11807
The opening signal shot for the Confederate bombardment is fired from a 10-inch mortar posted at Fort Johnson. The mortar is manned by militia artillerymen of Company C, 1st South Carolina Artillery Regiment, under Captain George S. James. The man who pulls the lanyard to fire the shot is the 1st Section commander, First Lieutenant Henry S. Farley. Battle of Fort Sumter, 4:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11808
As the signal flare explodes over Fort Sumter, it signals the general Confederate bombardment from 43 guns and mortars posted at Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnston, the Floating Battery, Castle Pinckney, and Cummings Point. Under orders from Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard, the guns fire in a counterclockwise sequence around the harbor, with 2 minutes between each shot; this was in order to preserve ammunition, which Beauregard estimates will last for only 48 hours. Battle of Fort Sumter, 4:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11809
Major Robert Anderson, commanding the 1st U.S. Artillery garrison at Fort Sumter, and Captain John G. Foster, the garrison's chief engineer, watch as shells rain down over Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 4:45 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11810
Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard, commanding general of the Provisional Forces of the Confederate States, watches the bombardment of Fort Sumter from his command overlook at Fort Johnson. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11811
Civilian spectators flock to their roofs in Charleston to watch the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:15 - 5:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11812
Soldiers of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry Regiment under Colonel Joseph B. Kershaw fire at Fort Sumter from Cummings Point on Morris Island. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11813
Captain W. R. Calhoun's Company at Fort Moultrie fires their batteries and mortars at Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:45 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11814
The Floating Battery near Sullivan's Island fires at Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11815
Guns at Fort Johnson during the bombardment. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11816
Captain Abner Doubleday's artillerymen from Company E, 1st U.S. Artillery, fire a shot from Columbiad No. 1 at Fort Sumter aimed at the Ironclad Battery on Cummings Point. The shot misses, but it is the first Union shot of the war. Battle of Fort Sumter, 7:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11817
Fort Sumter exchanges cannon fire with the Confederate batteries at Cummings Point. Battle of Fort Sumter, 8:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11818
The Floating Battery firing at Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 9:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11819
Guns at Fort Johnson firing at the Federal fort. Battle of Fort Sumter, 12:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11820
Federal cannons in the lower tier of Fort Sumter return fire at the Confederate batteries at Fort Moultrie. Fort Sumter's garrison could only safely fire the 21 working guns on the lowest level, which themselves, because of the limited elevation allowed by their embrasures, were largely incapable of delivering fire with trajectories high enough to seriously threaten Fort Moultrie. Battle of Fort Sumter, 1:00 - 3:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11821
Sergeant, Company E, 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment
Federal Garrison at Fort Sumter, April, 1861
11822
Artillerymen from Company H, 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment, commanded by Captain Truman Seymour, fire a 30-pounder cannon from their casemate in Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 2:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11823
Ships from Gustavus V. Fox's relief expedition that was bound for Fort Sumter arrive in Charleston Harbor to find it ablaze with artillery fire. Although Fox arrived himself on his steamer Baltic at 3:00 AM, April 12th, most of the rest of his fleet was delayed until 6:00 PM. As landing craft were sent toward the fort with supplies, the artillery fire deterred them and they pulled back. Fox decided to wait until after dark and for the arrival of his warships. The next day, heavy seas made it difficult to load the small boats with men and supplies and Fox was left with the hope that Anderson and his men could hold out until dark on April 13th. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11824
Soldiers of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry Regiment firing cannons at Fort Sumter into the evening. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:30 - 7:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11825
A rain shower begins to extinguish the flames at Fort Sumter despite the continuous Confederate bombardment. At the same time, Union guns at the fort cease firing for the night. Battle of Fort Sumter, 7:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
To be continued in the second day of the Battle of Fort Sumter...
11806
Lower Seaboard Theater: The American Civil War begins with the Confederate bombardment of the Federal 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment garrison at Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina - the Battle of Fort Sumter. Operations in Charleston Harbor (1861), April 12th - 13th, 1861.
11807
The opening signal shot for the Confederate bombardment is fired from a 10-inch mortar posted at Fort Johnson. The mortar is manned by militia artillerymen of Company C, 1st South Carolina Artillery Regiment, under Captain George S. James. The man who pulls the lanyard to fire the shot is the 1st Section commander, First Lieutenant Henry S. Farley. Battle of Fort Sumter, 4:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11808
As the signal flare explodes over Fort Sumter, it signals the general Confederate bombardment from 43 guns and mortars posted at Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnston, the Floating Battery, Castle Pinckney, and Cummings Point. Under orders from Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard, the guns fire in a counterclockwise sequence around the harbor, with 2 minutes between each shot; this was in order to preserve ammunition, which Beauregard estimates will last for only 48 hours. Battle of Fort Sumter, 4:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11809
Major Robert Anderson, commanding the 1st U.S. Artillery garrison at Fort Sumter, and Captain John G. Foster, the garrison's chief engineer, watch as shells rain down over Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 4:45 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11810
Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard, commanding general of the Provisional Forces of the Confederate States, watches the bombardment of Fort Sumter from his command overlook at Fort Johnson. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11811
Civilian spectators flock to their roofs in Charleston to watch the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:15 - 5:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11812
Soldiers of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry Regiment under Colonel Joseph B. Kershaw fire at Fort Sumter from Cummings Point on Morris Island. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11813
Captain W. R. Calhoun's Company at Fort Moultrie fires their batteries and mortars at Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 5:45 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11814
The Floating Battery near Sullivan's Island fires at Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11815
Guns at Fort Johnson during the bombardment. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11816
Captain Abner Doubleday's artillerymen from Company E, 1st U.S. Artillery, fire a shot from Columbiad No. 1 at Fort Sumter aimed at the Ironclad Battery on Cummings Point. The shot misses, but it is the first Union shot of the war. Battle of Fort Sumter, 7:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11817
Fort Sumter exchanges cannon fire with the Confederate batteries at Cummings Point. Battle of Fort Sumter, 8:00 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11818
The Floating Battery firing at Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 9:30 AM, April 12th, 1861.
11819
Guns at Fort Johnson firing at the Federal fort. Battle of Fort Sumter, 12:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11820
Federal cannons in the lower tier of Fort Sumter return fire at the Confederate batteries at Fort Moultrie. Fort Sumter's garrison could only safely fire the 21 working guns on the lowest level, which themselves, because of the limited elevation allowed by their embrasures, were largely incapable of delivering fire with trajectories high enough to seriously threaten Fort Moultrie. Battle of Fort Sumter, 1:00 - 3:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11821
Sergeant, Company E, 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment
Federal Garrison at Fort Sumter, April, 1861
11822
Artillerymen from Company H, 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment, commanded by Captain Truman Seymour, fire a 30-pounder cannon from their casemate in Fort Sumter. Battle of Fort Sumter, 2:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11823
Ships from Gustavus V. Fox's relief expedition that was bound for Fort Sumter arrive in Charleston Harbor to find it ablaze with artillery fire. Although Fox arrived himself on his steamer Baltic at 3:00 AM, April 12th, most of the rest of his fleet was delayed until 6:00 PM. As landing craft were sent toward the fort with supplies, the artillery fire deterred them and they pulled back. Fox decided to wait until after dark and for the arrival of his warships. The next day, heavy seas made it difficult to load the small boats with men and supplies and Fox was left with the hope that Anderson and his men could hold out until dark on April 13th. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11824
Soldiers of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry Regiment firing cannons at Fort Sumter into the evening. Battle of Fort Sumter, 6:30 - 7:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
11825
A rain shower begins to extinguish the flames at Fort Sumter despite the continuous Confederate bombardment. At the same time, Union guns at the fort cease firing for the night. Battle of Fort Sumter, 7:00 PM, April 12th, 1861.
To be continued in the second day of the Battle of Fort Sumter...