On Thursday, April 11, 1861, Confederate Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard dispatched aides to Maj. Anderson to demand the fort’s surrender. Anderson refused. The next morning, at 4:30 a.m., Confederate batteries opened fire on Fort Sumter and continued for 34 hours. The Civil War had begun! Anderson did not return the fire for the first two hours. The fort's supply of ammunition was not suited for an equal fight and Anderson lacked fuses for his exploding shells--only solid shot could be used against the Rebel batteries. At about 7:00 A.M., Union Capt. Abner Doubleday, the fort's second in command, was afforded the honor of firing the first shot in defense of the fort.
On April 12, 1861, General P.G.T. Beauregard, in command of the Confederate forces around Charleston Harbor, opened fire on the Union garrison holding Fort Sumter. The firing continued all day, although much less rapidly since the Union fired aimed to conserve ammunition. That evening, the firing was sporadic with but an occasional round landing on or in Fort Sumter. On Saturday, April 13, Anderson surrendered the fort. Incredibly, no soldiers were killed in battle.
Upon leaving the fort, the Union Army fired a 50 guns salute at 2:00 P.M. on April 14, but was cut short after an accidental explosion killed one of the gunners and mortally wounded another. Carrying their tattered banner, the men marched out of the fort and boarded a boat that ferried them to the Union ships outside the harbor. They were greeted as heroes on their return to the North.
At 2:30 pm on April 13 Major Robert Anderson, garrison commander, surrendered the fort and was evacuated the next day.
The illustration below depicts the Confederate Army's viewpoint. (Outside looking in)
The illustration below depicts the Union Army's viewpoint. (Inside looking out)