The War Begins- The First Shot/Fort Johnson

After the seven seceding states formed a new government, local militias began seizing Federal property within their borders. Lame-duck President James Buchanan, Lincoln would not be sworn in until March 4, sat by and watched hoping to make it to the end of his term without war. In South Carolina two of the three major forts in Charleston Harbor had been seized, Fort Moultrie and Castle Pinckney. Only Fort Sumter remained under Union control. Across the South the only forts still in Union hands besides Fort Sumter were all in Florida, Forts Pickens in Pensacola, Taylor in Key West and Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. Attempts at reconciliation including a Peace Conference in Washington in February of 1861 led by former President John Tyler and Senator John Crittenden’s proposed Constitutional amendment to allow slavery to continue in perpetuity in states where it already existed all failed. Buchanan did make an attempt to provision Fort Sumter but the ship, the Star of the West, turned back when it was fired on by artillerists from the Citadel.

**Capt. James- pre- war picture from NPS**– **gave the order to fire the first shot of the Civil War**

After Lincoln assumed office Jefferson Davis sent three peace commissioners to Washington, D.C. but Lincoln refused to meet with them believing that such a meeting would be imply recognition of the Confederacy. As a result, Lincoln communicated only with South Carolina Governor Francis Pickens. On April 4th Lincoln authorized a small flotilla of ships to carry supplies and 200 reinforcements to the fort and notified Governor Pickens of his plans. On April 11th General P.G.T. Beauregard, commander of forces in Charleston, sent three men (Colonel James Chestnut, Captain Stephen D. Lee, and Lieutenant AR. Chisholm) out to Fort Sumter to demand its surrender. They promised the safe transport out of Charleston for all of the men, who would be permitted to leave with their weapons and personal property. Major Robert Anderson in charge of Union forces at the fort declined. Anderson informed the envoys that he only had food for a few more days. Nine hours later they again rowed out to the fort in the early morning hours of April 12 with their final offer. If Anderson would commit to evacuating Fort Sumter, they would hold off on firing on it. Anderson replied that he would leave on April 15, three days later. Beauregard knowing that the flotilla to resupply the fort was nearing Charleston (less than a day away) had instructed his men that if Anderson attempted to delay to give him the following note- Sir: By authority of Brigadier General Beauregard, commanding the provisional forces of the Confederate States, we have the honor to notify you that he will open the fire of his batteries on Fort Sumter in one hour from this time. The three men then picked up Roger Pryor who was waiting at the wharf, his state Virginia had not yet seceded, and proceeded to Fort Johnson.

At 4:30 in the morning on April 12, 1861 Captain George James, a native South Carolinian, gave the order to fire to Lieutenant Henry Farley. Farley then pulled the lanyard on a 13-inch mortar. The shell arched along its short path from Fort Johnson over Fort Sumter and exploded. Captain James offered Roger Pryor the opportunity to fire the first shot but he declined. Pryor was a former member of the United States House of Representatives and an ardent secessionist. The Civil War had now begun.

Map of lines of fire from around Charleston harbor are shown below.

This stone monument commemorating the shot is at the site of the fort on James Island across the harbor from Fort Sumter at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Complex, College of Charleston, Grice Marine Laboratory Building 9 parking lot (32.7516167, -79.8979333).

Fort Johnson was the site of the first raising of the South Carolina State flag in 1775. It dates back to 1704-1708 when it was first constructed by the British to protect the harbor. Very little of the fort remains today. The powder magazine is shown below.