My World - Fort Sumter

Approaching on the ferry

April 12, 2011 is the 150-th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Sumter that began a four yearlong civil war in the United States. In December 1860, South Carolina and six other states had seceded from the union and the governor demanded that all Federal troops withdraw from Charleston. Major Robert Anderson move his command to the island Fort Sumter. Maintaining the fort became newly elected President Lincoln's first crisis. When Maj. Anderson refused to surrender the fort, Confederate General Beauregard ordered the bombardment of Fort Sumter from shore batteries Maj Anderson surrendered the next day.

Fort Sumter is now a National Park. This year begins a sesquicentennial celebration, review, and reenactment of the Civil War. My hope is that this retrospective look backward will lead to resolve to solve those political, economic, racial and cultural differences that still cause much strife in the United States today.

These shots were taken in June 2006. I plan future Civil War themed posts in the future. There are many books on this war and much material is online. Photographs were taken and those of Mathew Brady are available from the National Archives.

Gun emplacement

Inside the walls

View toward Charleston

Flags, past and present