The Battle of Fort Sumter and the Unusual First Casualties of the American Civil WarOn December 20th

The Battle of Fort Sumter and the Unusual First Casualties of the American Civil WarOn December 20th, 1860 South Carolina declared secession from the United States.  In the next few months several other states would also secede, eventually forming the Confederate States. That day South Carolina officials demanded that US Army forces evacuate and abandon the forts guarding Charleston harbor.  Instead, the garrison commander, Major Robert Anderson, would order his men to hold their ground until supplies and relief could arrive.  Nearby forts were evacuated and the men consolidated their forces and supplies at Fort Sumter, which was an important strategic location as it was situated in the middle of Charleston harbor.On April 12th, 1861 the men of the South Carolina Militia commanded by P.G.T. Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sumter, kicking off the American Civil War.  Major Anderson only had 85 men and dwindling supplies while the Confederates had hundreds of men, more guns, and much more powerful guns.  Over the next 34 hours the Confederates would continuously bombard Fort Sumter while Union forces dug in and attempted to return fire with what little they had.  Anderson ordered only 21 guns located on the lowest deck of the fort to return fire in order to save ammunition and because the location offered the best cover for his men.  While Anderson and his men tried to hold out for reinforcements, it became clear that help would not arrive in time.  With ammunition supplies almost gone, Anderson ordered the fort to surrender on April 13th.Amazingly, despite a 34 hour bombardment in which the Confederates fired around 3,000 shells, neither side suffered any casualties; no wounded, no dead, nothing more than perhaps some hearing loss from the cannonade. As part of the surrender agreement, Anderson and his men would be evacuated back to the north by steamship.  Before leaving, however, the garrison would conduct a 100 gun salute to the flag, mostly to fire off the remaining gunpowder they had to prevent it from falling into the hands of the enemy. After that, they would spike the guns to disable them, then be escorted out of Charleston harbor. On the 47th shot of the salute, the cannon exploded instantly killing Pvt. Daniel Hough, an Irish immigrant from County Tipperary, and fatally wounding Pvt. Edward Galloway.  Thus after a 34 hour bloodless battle, the first deaths of the American Civil War occurred purely by accident. -- source link

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