Imagine being here in 1863, surrounded by Fort Sumter's ruins, when this shell (photo below) explodes on the parade ground. Throughout the Civil War the fort was the center of the bitter conflict to control Charleston Harbor. For nearly two years (1863-65) Confederate soldiers braved a night-and-day pounding from Union cannons. The Union guns reduced most of Fort Sumter to rubble, but the Confederate garrison refused to surrender.
Daily dispatches from Fort Sumter in 1863 tell of the struggle:
August 14 - A force of 470 laborers and mechanics has been engaged, in two reliefs, day and night, upon the defenses of the fort...
August 18 - The enemy opened fire with rapidity at 5 a.m. and continued till 7 p.m. Eight hundred and seventy-six shots and shells were fired; 452 struck outside, 244 inside, and 180 passed over.
August 24 - Force of 210 negros engaged all night in strengthening western magazine.... The flag-staff was shot away twice. The whole garrison worked all night.
September 4 - There is now not a single gun en barbette .... The northeastern and northwestern terre plein have fallen in... The greater portion of southern wall is down. The eastern wall is very nearly shot away....
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