10 Fascinating Facts About Fort Sumter

Constructed in the aftermath of an earlier conflict, Fort Sumter, located in Charleston Harbor, became the site where the American Civil War began. While tensions between the North and South had simmered for years, it wasn’t until Confederate forces seized the Union-held garrison in April 1861 that full-scale war erupted. Explore 10 key details about Fort Sumter, its history, and its enduring significance.

1. The fort was named in honor of a Revolutionary War hero.

General Thomas Sumter (1734-1832), a veteran of the French and Indian War and a Virginia militia officer, later moved to South Carolina, where he became a celebrated figure during the American Revolution. His guerrilla tactics outmaneuvered British forces, leading to a notable victory at the Battle of Blackstock's Farm in what is now Union County, South Carolina. After the war, Sumter served South Carolina as both a U.S. congressman and senator. Fun fact for sports enthusiasts: The University of South Carolina’s teams are known as “The Fighting Gamecocks” in tribute to Sumter, who earned the nickname “The Carolina Gamecock” for his relentless energy (or perhaps his ego) during the Revolution.

2. The development of Fort Sumter was driven by the War of 1812.

The War of 1812 exposed the vulnerability of America’s coastal cities to foreign naval attacks. In response, Congress allocated over $800,000 in 1816 (equivalent to roughly $14.5 million today) to construct new coastal defenses. While work on Fort Sumter didn’t begin until 1829, its creation was directly linked to this initiative.

3. Fort Sumter is located on a man-made island.

When Fort Sumter’s plans were finalized in 1828, its architects imagined “a three-tiered, pentagonal masonry fort with truncated angles, to be constructed on the shallow shoal near James Island.” The task was daunting: the sandbar was fully submerged during high tide and constantly shifted with the currents. To create a stable foundation, over 109,000 tons of rock were transported to the site to form an artificial island.

4. A legal disagreement delayed Fort Sumter’s construction.

Work on Fort Sumter halted between 1834 and 1841 due to disputes over land ownership and federal authority. The conflict began when William Laval, a private individual, asserted ownership of the shoal where the fort was being built. Simultaneously, South Carolina officials argued that constructing a military garrison in Charleston Harbor violated state rights. The issue was resolved in 1841 when South Carolina transferred the title of the contested land to the federal government.

5. Fort Sumter was incomplete when the Civil War erupted.

After South Carolina seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860, Major Robert Anderson, a Union loyalist commanding Charleston’s Federal troops, relocated his men to Fort Sumter, which offered better defense than other harbor fortifications. However, the fort was still unfinished at the time. Key sections, such as gunrooms, barracks, and living quarters, were incomplete, and only 15 of the planned 135 cannons were in place.

6. The 1861 assault on Fort Sumter resulted in no fatalities during the attack—but one death occurred afterward.

Trapped on the island, Major Anderson and his troops endured harsh conditions at Fort Sumter until spring 1861. Tensions flared in April when President Abraham Lincoln attempted to resupply the garrison. In retaliation, Confederate forces under General P.G.T. Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sumter at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861. After 34 hours of bombardment, Anderson surrendered on April 14. While no lives were lost during the attack, Private Daniel Hough of the 1st U.S. Artillery was accidentally killed by a misfire during the ceremonial lowering of the Union Flag.

7. A second, far deadlier battle took place at Fort Sumter in 1863.

The battle—a follow-up to a failed naval attack—occurred on September 7 and 8, 1863. Four hundred Union sailors and marines approached the garrison, assuming it was mostly unoccupied. However, they were met with resistance from approximately 300 Confederates inside. “While two-thirds of the Union amphibious force escaped, nearly two dozen were killed or wounded, and over a hundred were captured at the fort’s base,” according to the National Park Service website. “No Confederate soldiers were harmed.”

8. When Fort Sumter was reclaimed, Anderson had the honor of raising the Union Flag.

Although the Second Battle of Fort Sumter ended in Confederate victory, the Union relentlessly bombarded the fort with 50,000 projectiles over the next 15 months, from September 1863 to February 1865. On February 18, 1865, Charleston surrendered to Union forces. At the request of Lincoln’s War Department, Robert Anderson traveled from New York City to Fort Sumter. On April 14, 1865—the same day Lincoln was assassinated—Anderson raised the Union flag over the garrison he had lost exactly four years earlier.

9. Fort Sumter underwent upgrades for subsequent conflicts.

After being repaired in the 1870s, Fort Sumter primarily served as a lighthouse until the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898. To prepare for potential attacks, it was equipped with long-range rifle cannons. The fort was also modernized for World Wars I and II, with four rapid-fire 90-millimeter anti-aircraft guns added during the latter conflict.

10. Fort Sumter is now part of a National Historical Park.

Deactivated in 1947, Fort Sumter became a national monument the following year. On March 12, 2019, its designation was updated, and it is now part of the Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historic Park. (Fort Moultrie, an older site, was where Patriots achieved a significant victory in 1776 during the American Revolution.) Fort Sumter draws thousands of visitors annually, and on April 14, 2015, reenactors commemorated the 150th anniversary of Robert Anderson’s 1865 flag-raising ceremony.