Fort Sumpter Case

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter was a manmade island made of granite in the harbor of Charleston south Carolina. It was designed to hold 650 soldiers and 146 canons and it was the fort to take over for fort Moultrie a mile or so away to protect Charleston South Carolina. The commander of the united states garrison major Robert Anderson although he was a southerner at birth and a former slave owner he had served the flag for many years and hated the idea of a divided nation he asked the federal government to reinforce his small garrison of about eighty soldiers. Between December 1860 and February 1861 several southern states South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Had seceded from the union and formed the confederate states of America they also elected their own President Jefferson Davis. At fort Sumter Major Robert Anderson and his men had just about run out of food and supplies. Meanwhile in Montgomery Alabama President Jefferson Davis after consulting with his cabinet he ordered General Pierre G.T Beauregard to take the fort before the relief fleet arrived. Beauregard a west point graduate who had fought in the Mexican war sent surrender letters to Anderson also a graduate from west point who had fought beside Beauregard in the Mexican war. Anderson refused and in early morning of April 14 after sustaining thirty three hours of bombardment that damaged the fort and set the interior on fire. Major Robert then surrendered no one died on the bombing of the fort. Citizens of South Carolina Charleston stood on their roof tops watching the battle. Little did they know it was the start of the civil war. In the late 1860 the federal government was headed by James A. Buchanan. Buchanan was just serving out his term until Lincoln was ingurated in early march 1861 he did not wish to take any action that would stir up the war. Ceding the federal forts in Charleston to South Carolina would anger northerners reinforcing the Charleston garrison would infuriate southerners Buchannan decided to let Lincoln decide what to do.