Here’s what happened in April 1861, leading up to the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, which spurred the launch of the American Civil War.

There is a great deal of speculation as to the intentions of the Administration in regard to reinforcing Fort Sumter ... it is a defensive war on their part. They must strike the first blow ...

You probably remember Fort Sumter as the place where the first shot of the Civil War was fired back in 1861. Today, you can see for yourself where all the action happened by taking a ferry to the ...

Fort Sumter National Monument Superintendent Tim Stone said Monday the flags will be part of an historical display at the fort where the Civil War began. The display will include flags that flew ...

Richard Hatcher opens this new work on the history of Sumter with a look at its origins, as part of the nation’s coastal defense system. Authorized in 1827 by Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, Fort ...

TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. About the Archive This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of ...

On April 12, 1861, Captain George S. James fired the first Confederate shot at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, leading to a siege, a Union retreat and the start of the Civil War. Exhibits ...