Fort Sumter, SC II

Date(s): August 17-December 31, 1863

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Operations against Defenses of Charleston [1863]

Battles in Campaign:

• Charleston Harbor, SC I- April 7, 1863 C

• Fort Wagner, Morris Island, SC - July 18-September 7, 1863 B

• Fort Wagner, SC - July 10-11, 1863 D¹

• Grimball's Landing, SC - July 16, 1863 D¹

• Fort Sumter, SC II - August 17-December 31, 1863 D

• Charleston Harbor, SC II - September 7-8, 1863 B

Situation:

Commanders: 

• Union: Maj. Gen. Quincy Gillmore

• Confederate: Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard

Principal Forces:

• Union: Morris Island Batteries

• Confederate: Fort Sumter Garrison

Description:

• Federal batteries erected on Morris Island opened fire on August 17, with almost 1,000 shells being fired the first day alone.

• Within a week, the fort's brick walls were in ruins, but the garrison refused to surrender and continued to repair and strengthen the defenses.

• A U.S. Navy assault took place on September 9 when around 400 sailors and Marines attacked the fort in row boats. After a hard fought battle the attackers were repulsed losing five ships and 124 men.

• The bombardment continued intermittently until the end of December.

• Despite a severe pounding, Fort Sumter’s garrison held out.

• Siege operations continued against Fort Wagner from Union positions on Morris Island.

Photo Gallery:²

• Please see Fort Sumter, SC I - April 12-14, 1861 A to view Photo Gallery

Slide Presentation³:

• Fort Sumter, SC - Microsoft PowerPoint [2/02/07]

• Fort Sumter, SC - Microsoft Photo Story with music[4/04/07]

Classification⁴: B

Casualties⁵:

• Union: 124

• Confederate: Unknown

Results: Inconclusive

Battlefield Websites:

• Fort Sumter National Monument - National Park Service

• Fort Sumter - Wikipedia

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

³ Slide Presentation Updated on 2/02/07. Click on link to view as web-based slide show.

⁴ Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

⁵ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or mis

Revised 09/23/2008