• Currier & Ives lithograph depicting the bombardment of Fort Sumter

    Fort Sumter

    National Monument South Carolina

  • Fort Sumter Elevators Out Of Service

    The elevators at Fort Sumter are out of service until further notice. Disabled visitors departing from Liberty Square will have access to restrooms on board the ferry boat while at Fort Sumter. For more information, please call (843) 883-3123.

149th Anniversary of Fort Sumter

A line of Civil War reenactors fire muskets while visitors watch.
NPS photo.
Civil War reenactors fire a volley during a musket firing demonstration.

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Date: March 30, 2010
Contact: Jeff Jones, (843) 883-3123

Superintendent Bob Dodson announced today that visitors to Fort Sumter on Saturday, April 10, 2010 will have the opportunity to see living history programs commemorating the 149th anniversary of the April 12-13, 1861 bombardment of Fort Sumter. This event marked a defining moment in American history: the beginning of the Civil War.

Members of the Tramp Brigade, a Civil War reenactment unit, will present programs on the 1st US Artillery Regiment, which garrisoned Fort Sumter during the April 12-13, 1861 bombardment, and Confederate soldiers who garrisoned the fort in 1863. Programs will include both musket firing demonstrations with black powder and heavy artillery demonstrations without black powder to illustrate how large cannon were loaded. All the programs will include information on uniforms, weapons, equipment, and related items.

Did You Know?

42-pounder cannon, Model 1845, at Fort Sumter

The first Union shot of the Civil War was fired by Captain Abner Doubleday. He was the second senior officer at Fort Sumter, under Major Robert Anderson. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC