Interior View of Fort Sumter, Charleston, South Carolina

Special Collection:
, ,

Accession number:
1983.02.03.15

Maker:
Quinby & Co.
Publisher

Historical period:
1861

Miltary branch:
,

Wars and Conflicts:

Type:

Dimensions:
H x W: 3.5 in. / 7 in.

Acquisition date:
1983-1987

Credit line:
Gift of Reginald W. Okie

Location:
,

Provenance:

From 1985:
The Army and Navy Club, gift of Reginald W. Okie

Label:

verso: No. 28
Interior View of Fort Sumter, Taken April, 1861
Charleston, S.C.
This view of Fort Sumter was taken the day after its evacuation by Gen. (then Major) Robert Anderson, on the 14th of April 1861. The bombardment of Fort Sumter by the Confederates, commenced precisely at half past 4 o’clock, on Friday morning, the 12th of April, 1861. The First shot, or signal gun, was fired from a Howitzer Battery on James Island. Fort Moultrie was the next to open. Fort Sumter replied with three of her barbette guns, and then the Confederate Batteries on Morris Island, Mount Pleasant, Fort Johnson, and the Floating Battery, opened a heavy fire of shot and shell. The firing from Fort Sumter was slow until between seven and eight o’clock, when Gen. Anderson brought into action the two tiers of guns on the Northeast angle, looking towards Fort Moultrie; and those upon the Southeast angle, looking upon Stevens’ Iron Battery, on Morris Island. The bombardment raged the whole day and the whole night, with the exception of an interruption of about three hours, caused by a rain storm of uncommon violence. During the first night Fort Sumter was silent, the garrison having been engaged in repairing damages sustained during the day. At seven o’clock on Saturday morning Fort Sumter opened a rapid fire, which continued for two hours or more. At eleven o’clock a dense smoke was seen rising from the Fort, the hot shot from Fort Moultrie having set the officer’s quarters on fire. Every effort was made by the garrison to subdue the flames, but without avail, as the fire raged with increasing fury until the entire wood work about the Fort was in flames. Gen. Anderson displayed his flag at half mast, but it received no notice from the fleet, who were silent spectators to the raging battle that was going on almost within hailing distance. Shortly after this the flag staff was shot away. The flag soon floated again from a jury mast, but it was soon replaced by a flag of truce. The bombardment lasted forty hours, during which time upwards of three thousand shot and shell had been fired at the Fort by the Confederates. The flag staff, as shown in this picture, was the original flag staff of the Fort. This view shows the Southern portion of the Fort, in which was situated the officer’s quarters.
Published by Quinby & Co., 261 King Street, Charleston, S.C.