On this day 160 years ago, Confederate forces fired on Federal troops stationed in Charleston Harbor’s Fort Sumter -- marking the official start of the American Civil War.

Today, over a century after the bloodiest conflict fought on American soil commenced in Charleston Harbor, anyone can buy a ferry ticket and see Fort Sumter for themselves. In fact, I was lucky enough to visit the fort, now a national monument under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, last month during my trip to Charleston.

However, before I get into my own experience at Fort Sumter it is important to address one key question: how did the country truly come to such a breaking point on the early morning of April 12, 1861?

In this artistic depiction of Fort Sumter from around 1860, the fort appears as it would have during the start of the Civil War in April 1861.

The firing on Fort Sumter was the climax of a series of events that were months, if not decades, in the making. By April 1861, the tensions that would boil over into the Civil War were a well entrenched part of American political life and had only intensified over the previous couple of months. By this point in American history, years of debate and attempted compromises had failed to address the issue of slavery adequately and the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln had been the final straw for those that supported maintaining the institution of slavery.

It is important to note that slavery was deeply intertwined with the economy and culture of the Southern states at this time. As a result, the election of Abraham Lincoln -- who had campaigned against the spread of slavery into new American territories -- was perceived as a threat by many in this region. South Carolina would famously lead the charge for succession, being the first to formally do so on December 20, 1860.

Another important key detail to make note of in the lead up to Fort Sumter was the incoming transfer of power from President James Buchanan over to the newly elected Abraham Lincoln. At this point in American history, the president did not formally take office until early March. Thus, the crisis of secession fell under the “lame duck” period of the Buchanan administration. Coupled with the controversial status Buchanan’s successor had among the Southern states, this would only further set the stage for the crisis that was brewing on the horizon.

In January 1861, a ship intending to deliver supplies to the 200 Federal troops at Fort Sumter had been fired upon -- forcing the vessel to turn around and retreat. The Federal troops present in Charleston, commanded by Major Robert Anderson, had moved from another fort along the coast, Fort Moultrie, to Fort Sumter on December 26, 1860. Major Anderson had ordered the move of his troops believing that Fort Sumter, due to being on an island in the harbor, was more easily defendable. Only days after, Confederate troops would move into Fort Moultrie as well as the other fortifications that outlined the city’s harbor.

By the end of 1860, Major Anderson and his roughly 200 men were stationed in the last federal stronghold in Charleston as over 3,000 Confederate troops surrounded them. Their decision to slip away to Fort Sumter had been viewed by the citizens of Charleston as an indignant act of aggression and tensions only further mounted.

Six more states -- Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas -- had declared their secession by February 1861. Delegates representing these states and South Carolina had officially convened in Montgomery, Alabama to designate themselves under a new, independent government: the Confederate States of America. As Buchanan’s days in office dwindled, a South Carolina delegation arrived in Washington, DC demanding that all federal military installations in the state be surrendered. Buchanan refused.

The inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln on March 4, 1861 — just over a month before the official start of the Civil War

The following month, March 1861, Lincoln officially took office and inherited a dangerously divided nation. Although President Lincoln had made it clear that he would not accept the succession of the Southern states as legitimate, he intended to resolve the crisis without war. On April 4, 1861 -- Lincoln informed South Carolina authorities that he intended to resupply the federal troops stationed in Fort Sumter. Confederate delegates then approached Major Anderson, asking him to surrender the fort but Anderson refused and stated that:

“I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication demanding the evacuation of this fort, and to say, in reply thereto, that it is a demand with which I regret that my sense of honor, and of my obligations to my Government, prevent my compliance.”

Brigadier General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, head of the Confederate troops in Charleston, had already received orders from the Confederate government to take Fort Sumter. Upon hearing Major Anderson’s refusal to surrender the fort, the firing on the fort was now imminent.

An artistic depiction of the firing on Fort Sumter, an event which started the Civil War and forever altered the trajectory of American history.

Just before five in the morning on April 12, 1861 -- Beauregard’s men opened fire and the first shots of the Civil War exploded in the air above Fort Sumter. These shots had been the signal for all other Confederate garrisons along the harbor to start firing upon the fort. Two hours later, Anderson fired back.

Although remarkably outnumbered, Anderson and his men held their ground for 36 hours before they surrendered. On the afternoon of April 14, 1861, the last remaining federal troops in Charleston evacuated Fort Sumter and the Confederate flag was raised over the fort. The Civil War had officially begun.

The events of April 12, 1861 are a far cry from a typical outing to Fort Sumter today. On a pleasant March afternoon, we boarded a ferry bound for Fort Sumter while enjoying the seaside breeze coming in from the Atlantic Ocean and arrived on the island itself after about a relaxing, half-an-hour journey along the Charleston Harbor.

Today, Fort Sumter looks almost nothing like how it would have looked during the Civil War. The crumbling walls still retain the damage of both Confederate and Union artillery: federal forces would attempt to retake the fort multiple times over the course of the Civil War in an effort to regain control over Charleston Harbor. However, every other structure present at Fort Sumter today was built after the Civil War ended.

Fort Sumter as it can be seen during the ferry’s approach to the island. The walls are much shorter today than they were during the Civil War as their original top two tiers were destroyed during the multiple bombings the fort endured over the cours… — Fort Sumter as it can be seen during the ferry’s approach to the island. The walls are much shorter today than they were during the Civil War as their original top two tiers were destroyed during the multiple bombings the fort endured over the course of the war. The central black structure, Battery Huger, was added during around 1898 during the outbreak of the Spanish-American War.

The entrance to Fort Sumter National Monument as it can be seen today. The fort remained in active duty through World War II, being used by the army for coastal defense of the United States. It would officially become a national monument in 1948.

Just a few hundred yards from the entrance stands a rectangular stone: I happened to wander over to it while a park ranger detailed the story of Fort Sumter and the Civil War to a substantial crowd of tourists who had journeyed out to the island alongside me. On the stone was a large plaque, commemorating Major Anderson’s garrison for their defense of Fort Sumter during the bombardment. Other than the rubble of its walls and a range of cannons placed throughout the monument, it was the only visible marker of the fort’s role in the Civil War that I could see.

Close-up on a plaque added to Fort Sumter in 1932, a little over a decade before it officially became a national monument, to commemorate Major Robert Anderson and the troops under his commanded who defended the fort against Confederate bombardment … — Close-up on a plaque added to Fort Sumter in 1932, a little over a decade before it officially became a national monument, to commemorate Major Robert Anderson and the troops under his commanded who defended the fort against Confederate bombardment in April 1861.

However, even though the fort today does not bear the same appearance as it did on that fateful morning in April 1861, it is undeniable how important the memory of Fort Sumter and the Civil War has remained in the American consciousness up until today. Thousands of people board the ferry bound for Fort Sumter daily to get a glimpse of the site where the most momentous conflict in American history began. At the gift shop on the island itself, you can purchase a number of postcards proudly declaring Fort Sumter as the site “where the Civil War began.” You can even buy teddy bears wearing the Civil War uniform of your choosing -- the navy of the Union or the grey of the Confederacy.

Looking back at the silhouette of Charleston Harbor from the top of Battery Huger as visitors listen to a park ranger’s presentation about the history of Fort Sumter. The dilapidated walls of the fort — reduced to rubble after four years of bombardm… — Looking back at the silhouette of Charleston Harbor from the top of Battery Huger as visitors listen to a park ranger’s presentation about the history of Fort Sumter. The dilapidated walls of the fort — reduced to rubble after four years of bombardment from Union troops — are visible. Fort Sumter remains the most bombed place in the United States today.

An example of one of the many postcards available for purchase at Fort Sumter’s gift shop. In this aerial view of the fort, Battery Huger (the black concrete structure in the center of the island) as well as what is left of the fort’s walls can be c… — An example of one of the many postcards available for purchase at Fort Sumter’s gift shop. In this aerial view of the fort, Battery Huger (the black concrete structure in the center of the island) as well as what is left of the fort’s walls can be clearly seen.

Looking back at the expanse of the Charleston Harbor and out to the gigantic Atlantic Ocean from Fort Sumter, I realized just how small the island itself actually was. I could have probably walked its perimeter in a mere ten or fifteen minutes tops. Yet, this tiny blip on the Charleston shoreline made quite the giant mark on the trajectory of American history.

The Battle of Fort Sumter: 160 Years Ago Today

Related Content from the Historic America