Confederate Cannon Bombard Ft. Sumter. Union Garrison Responds in Kind

LAUREL, NY, April 14, 2011 (Press-News.org) Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. April 12, 1861. At exactly 4:30AM, with a faint, dim light rising over the horizon, the first muted boom of a cannon sounded from Fort Johnson on the west side of the harbor. What followed was an explosive roar of cannon which rippled like a wave in a counter-clockwise direction - officially declaring the South's independence from the United States.

For the last 24 hours, we have received numerous dispatches from Charleston. At precisely 3:20AM, we learned that the Confederates informed Major Anderson that they would open fire in one hour absent a surrender of the fort. The Union major steadfastly held his ground - as he has throughout the past several weeks.

The Confederate army now holds 7,000 Confederate soldiers overlooking Sumter with 43 cannon. Fort Sumter, with 135 guns, barely has enough men to operate half of them, and even then, most of the cannon point out to sea. Only a mere 20 or so cannon point toward the harbor.

Though Fort Sumter was pummeled on all sides, it did not return fire for several hours. Apparently waiting for daylight, Major Anderson issued the order to fire at 7AM, shooting first at the Ironclad Battery at Cummings Point, then at Fort Moultrie.

The firing continued throughout the afternoon. A breach in the southeast wall has been reported.

Thus far, Southern forces report no casualties. It is uncertain how many losses have been sustained inside the fort, but judging by the severity of the constant explosions on the side and above it, the toll must be high.

The excitement in the community is indescribable. Whipped into secessionist frenzy by propaganda spewing newspapers and political protagonists of dubious character over the last few months, Charleston's finest ladies and gentlemen have descended to watch the spectacle through their glasses. Gov. Pickens has all day been in the residence of a gentleman which commands a view of the whole scene.

Is this the beginning of civil war? Stay tuned to 7score10yearsago for further developments.

www.SevenScoreandTenYearsAgo.com brings the American Civil War to the 21st Century through timely reporting of each day's events of 150 years ago by our crack team of 'historical journalists.' Join us on this most fascinating and dynamic journey back to the most defining period in American and World history - on the web, on Facebook and Twitter, and with our soon-to-be-released App for the iPhone.