In the early hours of April 12, 1861, the tranquil waters of Charleston Harbor bore witness to the opening salvo of the American Civil War. The battle that ensued at Fort Sumter would ignite a conflict that would tear a nation apart.

The fall of Fort Sumter marked the beginning of a brutal and protracted war. The Confederates' victory electrified the South, while in the North, Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion was met with overwhelming support. The battle lines were drawn.