Second Battle of Fort Sumter

Second Battle of Fort Sumter Part of the American Civil War Photograph taken September 8, 1863, shows the breech compromised at Fort Sumter's wall facing Morris Island during bombardment of Fort Sumter. The naval party attempted to enter the fort here. Date September 7, 1863 (1863-09-07) – September 8, 1863 (1863-09-08) Location Charleston, South Carolina Result Confederate victory Belligerents United States Confederate States Commanders and leaders Quincy Gillmore P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 413 320 Casualties and losses 117 unknown

Bombardment of Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, Charleston, South Carolina, 1863, William Aiken Walker, 1886, Gibbes Museum of Art

The Second Battle of Fort Sumter was fought on September 8, 1863, in Charleston Harbor. Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard, who had commanded the defenses of Charleston and captured Fort Sumter in the first battle of the war, was in overall command of the defenders.

Battle

View of the fort from the sandbar in 1863

Union forces under Major General Quincy Gillmore attempted to retake the fort at the mouth of the harbor. Union gunners pummeled the fort from their batteries on Morris Island. After a severe bombing of the fort, Beauregard suspecting an attack replaced the artillerymen and all but one of the fort's guns with 320 infantrymen, who repulsed the naval landing party. Gillmore had reduced Fort Sumter to a pile of rubble, but the Confederate flag still waved over the ruins.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the National Park Service document "NPS battle summary".

• CWSAC Report Update