On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The Union garrison, commanded by Major Robert Anderson, had been holding out after South Carolina’s secession. Confederate artillery bombarded the fort for about 34 hours. Low on supplies and surrounded, Anderson eventually agreed to surrender. No soldiers were killed in battle, but one died during the evacuation. The attack marked the official start of the American Civil War, committing both North and South to a long conflict.
