Operations in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina

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The Operations in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina are widely considered to be the first major military operations conducted by either side at the outbreak of the war. The operations began shortly after South Carolina announced its secession from the Union on December 20, 1860 and State Troops began seizing federal property within state borders. The crisis escalated when Confederate troops repelled a relief ship destined for the fort and began firing warning shots at other passing vessels. After months of increasing diplomatic tension and the possibility of a second relief ship crisis under a new president, newly appointed Confederate Brigadier General Pierre Gustav Toutant-Beauregard bombards the fort's garrison to force a surrender. From April 12-14, 1861, the South Carolina troops unleash a continuous stream of artillery shells upon Union Major Robert Anderson and his 1st United States Artillery garrison. The battle results in the death of a single Union horse during the bombardment and a handful of Union casualties during a salute before the troops are allowed to leave. The final bombardment marks a relatively bloodless start to the bloodiest conflict in American history.

Prelude

Secession

On December 20, 1860, shortly after Abraham Lincoln's victory in the presidential election of 1860, South Carolina adopted an ordinance declaring its secession from the United States of America. By February 1861, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, had adopted similar ordinances of secession. On February 7, the seven states adopted a provisional constitution for the Confederate States of America and established their temporary capital at Montgomery, Alabama. A February peace conference met in Washington, D.C., but failed to resolve the crisis. The eight remaining slave states declined to join the Confederacy at this time, preferring instead to see what the next moves of each government would be.

The seceding states seized numerous Federal properties within their boundaries, including buildings, arsenals, and fortifications. President James Buchanan protested but took no military action in response. Buchanan was concerned that an overt action could cause the remaining slave states to leave the Union, and while he acknowledged there was no constitutional authority for a state to secede, he could find no constitutional authority for him to act to prevent it.

Sub-Operations

Troops in the Harbor

The Operations in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina did not include units larger than company size.

The Union Troops

Field and Staff Officers

This section includes all officers, non-commissioned officers at the regiment level, and United States Engineers that do not directly report to Anderson, but instead the War Department.

Regimental Band
1st United States Artillery / Band
Rank Name City/Town Commission From /
Enlistment Date
Sergeant James E. Galway ? ?
Corporal Andrew Smith ? ?
Private Andrew Murphy ? ?
Private Fedeschi Onoratti ? ?
Private Peter Rice ? ?
Private Henry Schmidt ? ?
Private John Urquhart ? ?
Private Andrew Wickstrom ? ?
1st U.S. Artillery / Battery E
1st United States Artillery / Battery E
Rank Name City/Town Commission From /
Enlistment Date
Captain Abner Doubleday ? ?
1st Sergeant Eugene Scheibner ? ?
Sergeant Thomas Kirnan ? ?
Sergeant William A. Harn ? ?
Sergeant James Chester ? ?
Corporal Owen McGuire ? ?
Corporal Francis J. Oakes ? ?
Corporal Charles Bringhurst ? ?
Corporal Henry Ellerbrook ? ?
Musician Charles Hall ? ?
Private Philip Anderman ? ?
Private John Emil Noack ? ?
Private Cornelius Baker ? ?
Private Thomas Carroll ? ?
Private Patrick Clancy ? ?
Private John Davis ? ?
Private James Digdam ? ?
Private George Fielding ? ?
Private Edward Gallway ? ?
Private James Gibbons ? ?
Private James Hays ? ?
Private Daniel Hough ? ?
Private John Irwin ? ?
Private James McDonald ? ?
Private Samuel Miller ? ?
Private John Newport ? ?
Private George Pinchard ? ?
Private Frank Rivers ? ?
Private Lewis Schroeder ? ?
Private Carl A. Sellman ? ?
Private John Thompson ? ?
Private Charles H. Tozer ? ?
Private William Witzman ? ?
1st U.S. Artillery / Battery H
1st United States Artillery / Battery H
Rank Name City/Town Commission From/
Enlistment Date
Brevet Captain Truman Seymour ? ?
1st Sergeant John Renehan ? ?
Sergeant James McMahon ? ?
Sergeant John Carmody ? ?
Sergeant John Otto ? ?
Corporal Christopher Costolan ? ?
Musician Robert Foster ? ?
Artificer Henry Strandt ? ?
Private Edward Brady ? ?
Private Barney Cain ? ?
Private John Doran ? ?
Private Dennis Johnson ? ?
Private John Kehoe ? ?
Private John Klein ? ?
Private John Lanagan ? ?
Private Frederick Lintner ? ?
Private John Magill ? ?
Private John Laroche ? ?
Private Frederick Meier ? ?
Private James Moore ? ?
Private William Morter ? ?
Private Patrick Neilan ? ?
Private John Nixon ? ?
Private Michael O'Donald ? ?
Private Robert Roe ? ?
Private William Walker ? ?
Private Joseph Wall ? ?
Private Edmond Walsh ? ?
Private Henry R. Walter ? ?
Private Herman Will ? ?
Private Thomas Wishnowski ? ?
Private Casper Wutterpel ? ?
Non-Combatants
  • Mechanics, Employees, Laborers, and Cooks
Non-Combatants at Fort Sumter
Rank Name City/Town Employment Date
Overseer William O. Lyman ? ?
Mason George Coons ? ?
Mason John Schweirer ? ?
Smith John Buckley ? ?
Carpenter John Lindsay ? ?
Rigger John Saxton ? ?
Smith James Tweedle ? ?
Cook Samuel Abraze ? ?
Cook Patrick Walsh ? ?
Laborer Michael Berne ? ?
Laborer John Burns ? ?
Laborer John Branley ? ?
Laborer Peter Caine ? ?
Laborer Patrick Conner ? ?
Laborer William Dorsey ? ?
Laborer Edward Davis ? ?
Laborer Patrick Donahoe ? ?
Laborer Peter Donley ? ?
Laborer William Eagen ? ?
Laborer Andrew Felton ? ?
Laborer Michael Goff ? ?
Laborer James Howlett ? ?
Laborer Patrick Heeney ? ?
Laborer Andrew Lindsey ? ?
Laborer Dennis Macgrath ? ?
Laborer John McCarty ? ?
Laborer James McMahon ? ?
Laborer Michael Meechins ? ?
Laborer Thomas Murphy ? ?
Laborer Thomas Myers ? ?
Laborer William Powers ? ?
Laborer Edward Quinn ? ?
Laborer Patrick Quinn ? ?
Laborer Martin Rafferty ? ?
Laborer John Riley ? ?
Laborer Michael Ryan ? ?
Laborer Jeremiah Ryan ? ?
Laborer James Ryan ? ?
Laborer James Shea ? ?

The Confederate Troops

Aftermath

NPS Fast Facts

  • Other Names: None
  • Location: Charleston County
  • Campaign: Operations in Charleston Harbor (April 1861)
  • Date(s): April 12-14, 1861
  • Principal Commanders: Maj. Robert Anderson [US]; Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard [CS]
  • Forces Engaged: Regiments: 580 total (US 80; CS est. 500)
  • Estimated Casualties: None
  • Description: On April 10, 1861, Brig. Gen. Beauregard, in command of the provisional Confederate forces at Charleston, South Carolina, demanded the surrender of the Union garrison of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. Garrison commander Anderson refused. On April 12, Confederate batteries opened fire on the fort, which was unable to reply effectively. At 2:30 pm, April 13, Major Anderson surrendered Fort Sumter, evacuating the garrison on the following day. The bombardment of Fort Sumter was the opening engagement of the American Civil War. Although there were no casualties during the bombardment, one Union artillerist was killed and three wounded (one mortally) when a cannon exploded prematurely while firing a salute during the evacuation on April 14.
  • Result(s): Confederate victory
  • CWSAC Reference #: SC001
  • Preservation Priority: III.1 (Class A)
  • National Park Unit: Fort Sumter NM

Casualties

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Notes


Sources

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