Before the war: South Carolina First Lady Pickens reviews troops at Fort Moultrie (Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper, 1861 Feb. 23) (LOC - LC-USZ6-1911)
From The New-York Times April 13, 1861 (The New York Times Archive):
THE WAR COMMENCED.The First Gun Fired by Fort Moultrie Against Fort Sumpter.; THE BOMBARDMENT CONTINUED ALL DAY. Spirited Return from Major Anderson’s Guns. The Firing from Fort Sumpter Ceased for the Night. Hostilities to Commence Again at Daylight. The Correspondence which Preceded the Bombardment. The Demand for a Surrender and Major Anderson’s Refusal. THE RELIEF FLEET OFF THE HARBOR. How the News is Recieved in Washington.
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12.
The ball has opened. War is inaugurated.
The batteries of Sullivan’s Island, Morris Island, and other points, were opened on Fort Sumpter at 4 o’clock this morning.
OUR CHARLESTON DISPATCHES.
"The ball has opened. War is inaugurated." April 12, 1861 (Currier & Ives)
Fort Sumpter has returned the fire, and a brisk cannonading has been kept up. No information has been received from the seaboard yet.
The military are under arms, and the whole of our population are on the streets. Every available space facing the harbor is filled with anxious spectators.
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12.
The firing has continued all day without intermission.
Two of Fort Sumpter’s guns have been silenced, and it is reported that a breach has been made in the southeast wall.
The answer to Gen. BEAUREGARD’S demand by Major ANDERSON that he would surrender when his supplies were exhausted, that is, if he was not reinforced.
Not a casualty has yet happened to any of the forces.
Of the nineteen batteries in position only seven have opened fire on Fort Sumpter, the remainder are held in reserve for the expected fleet.
Two thousand men reached this city this morning and embarked for Morris Island and the neighborhood.
"Home Plate" being battered by the surrounding batteries
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12.
The bombardment of Fort Sumpter continues.
The Floating Battery and Stephens Battery are operating freely, and Fort Sumpter is returning the fire.
It is reported that three war vessels are outside the bar.
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12.
The firing has ceased for the night, but will be renewed at daylight in the morning, unless an attempt is made to reinforce, which ample arrangements have been made to repel.
The Pawnee, Harriet Lane, and a third steamer are reported off the bar.
Troops are arriving by every train.
LATER DISPATCHES — HOSTILITIES STILL PRODEEDING.
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12.
Inside Fort Sumpter 4-12-1861 (Currier & Ives LOC - LC-USZ62-36)
The bombardment is still going on every twenty minutes from our morters. It is supposed that Major ANDERSON is resting his ment for the night.
Three vessels-of-war are reported outside. They cannot get in. The sea is rough.
Nobody is hurt. The floating battery works well. Troops arrive hourly. Every inlet is guarded. There are lively times here.
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12.
The firing on Fort Sumpter continues.
There are reviving times on the “Palmetto coast.”
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12 — 3 A.M.
It is utterly impossible to reinforce Fort Shmpter, to-night, as a storm is now raging.
The morter batteries will be playing on Fort Sumpter all night.
FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12.
"Civil war has at last begun." Library of Congress - LC-USZ62-90258
Civil war has at last begun. A terrible fight is at this moment going on between Fort Sumpter and the fortifications by which it is surrounded.
The issue was submitted to Major ANDERSON of surrendering as soon as his supplies were exhausted, or of having a fire opened on him within a certain time.
This he refused to do, and accordingly, at twenty-seven minutes past four o’clock this morning Fort Moultrie began the bombardment by firing two guns. To these Major ANDERSON replied with three of his barbette guns, after which the batteries on Mount Pleasant, Cummings’ Point, and the Floating Battery opened a brisk fire of shot and shell.
Major ANDERSON did not reply except at long intervals, until between 7 and 8 o’clock, when he brought into action the two tier of guns looking towards Fort Moultrie and Stevens iron battery.
Up to this hour — 3 o’clock — they have failed to produce any serious effect.
Major ANDERSON has the greater part of the day been directing his fire principally, against Fort Moultrie, the Stevens and Floating Battery, these and Fort Johnson being the only five operating against him. The remainder of the batteries are held in reserve.
Inside the Floating Battery (Frank Leslie's Weekly April 27, 1861)
Major ANDERSON is at present using his lower tier of casemate ordnance.
The fight is going on with intense earnestness, and will continue all night.
The excitement in the community is indescribable. With the very first boom of the guns thousands rushed from their beds to the harbor front, and all day every available place has been thronged by ladies and gentlemen, viewing the spectacle through their glasses.
The brilliant and patriotic conduct of Major ANDERSON speaks for itself.
Business is entirely suspended. Only those stores open necessary to supply articles required by the Army.
Gov. PICKENS has all day been in the residence of a gentleman which commands a view of the whole scene — a most interested observer. Gen. BEAUREGARD commands in person the entire operations.
It is reported that the Harriet Lane has received a shot through her wheelhouse. She is in the offing. No other Government ships in sight up to the present moment, but should they appear the entire range of batteries will open upon them.
Negroes mounting Cannon in the works for the attack on Ft. Sumter 1861- Morris Island by William Waud LOC - LC-DIG-ppmsca-21740
Troops are pouring into the town by hundreds, but are held in reserve for the present, the force already on the island being ample. People are also arriving every moment on horseback, and by every other conveyance.
CHARLESTON, Friday, April 12 — 6 P.M.
Capt. R.S. PARKER brings dispatches from the floating battery, stating that up to this time only two have been wounded on Sullivan’s Island. He had to row through Major ANDERSON’S warmest fire in a small boat.
Senator WIGFALL in same manner bore dispatches to Morris Island, through the fire from Fort Sumpter.
Chestnut fired gun "by way of amusement"
Senator CHESNUT, another member of the staff of Gen. BEAUREGARD, fired a gun, by way of amusement, from Mount Pleasant, which made a large hole in the parapet.
Quite a number have been struck by spent pieces of shell and knocked down, but none hurt seriously. Many fragments of these missiles are already circulating in the city.
The range is more perfect than in the morning and every shot from the land tells.
Three ships are visible in the offing, and it is believed an attempt will be made to-night, to throw reinforcements into Fort Sumpter in small boats.
It is also thought, from the regular and frequent firing of Major ANDERSON, that he has a much larger force of men than was supposed. At any rate, he is fighting bravely.
There have been two rain storms during the day, but without effect upon the battle.
Everybody is in a ferment. Some of those fighting are stripped to the waist.
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Gadsen Flag - looks like template for that Fort Moultrie flag
Lucy Pickens - Belle at 'opening of the ball'
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The Gadsen Flag was designed by South Carolinian Christopher Gadsden in 1775.
Lucy Petway Holcombe Pickens “… witnessed the shelling of Fort Sumter from a rooftop in Charleston, South Carolina.”
The map of Charleston Harbor is by Hal Jespersen, www.posix.com/CW and is licensed by Creative Commons.
