who fired the first shots in the civil war
the Confederate States Army
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Battle of Fort Sumter The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12–13, 1861) was the bombardment of Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina by the Confederate States Army, and the return gunfire and subsequent surrender by the United States Army, that started the American Civil War. Following the declaration of secession by South Carolina on December 20, 1860, its authorities demanded that the U.S. Army abandon its facilities in Charleston Harbor. On December 26, Major Robert Anderson of the U.S. Army surreptitiously moved his small command from the vulnerable Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island to Fort Sumter, a substantial fortress built
Battle of Fort Sumter
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Teófilo Marxuach Lieutenant Colonel Teófilo Marxuach, (July 28, 1877 – November 8, 1939), was the person who ordered the first shots fired in World War I on behalf of the United States on an armed German supply ship trying to force its way out of the San Juan Bay. Marxuach ordered hostile shots from a machine gun and a cannon located at the Santa Rosa battery of "El Morro" fort, in what is considered to be the first shots of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship flying the colors of
Teófilo Marxuach
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Schimmelfennig; and Union troops finally moved in, taking control of key sites. The first soldiers to enter the city were members of the 21st Infantry Regiment of the US Colored Troops and the 55th Massachusetts Infantry, another Black regiment. Federal forces remained in Charleston during the city's reconstruction. Charleston in the American Civil War Charleston, South Carolina, was a hotbed of secession at the start of the American Civil War and an important Atlantic Ocean port city for the fledgling Confederate States of America. The first shots against the Federal government were those fired there by cadets of the Citadel
Charleston in the American Civil War
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cadets to the arrival of the Union ship the "Star of the West", which was attempting to ferry supplies to Fort Sumter. The cadets fired the first shots of the American Civil War. "The Daily Courier" at first said he had fired the first shot, although the official account later blamed a local youth named G. E. Haynesworth. Simkins once said he only loaded the gun which fired the first shot. The cadets were graduated early on April 9. On the morning of April 12, 1861, Simkins, on duty near Charleston Harbor, participated in the bombardment of Fort Sumter, the
William Stewart Simkins
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involved in the Quasi-War with France from 1798 to 1799, the War of 1812, and the Mexican–American War. During the American Civil War, the USRC"Harriet Lane" fired the first naval shots of the war, engaging the steamer "Nashville" during the siege of Fort Sumter. Upon the order of President Lincoln to the Secretary of the Treasury on 14 June 1863, cutters were assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. A Confederate Revenue Marine was also formed by crewmen who left the Revenue Cutter Service. In the 1880s through the 1890s, the Revenue Cutter Service was instrumental in the development of
History of the United States Coast Guard
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are entombed. It is the final resting place for several members of the 8th Illinois Cavalry, the unit that fired the first shots in the Battle of Gettysburg, and of a general whose troops helped Ulysses S. Grant avoid surrender in the Battle of Shiloh, Grant's first major engagement of the war. Rosehill Cemetery maintains the distinction of being the largest private burial ground of Union veterans, including 16 generals, in the state of Illinois. To honor those who fought for country and cause, Rosehill officially opened its own Civil War Museum on January 15, 1995. A monument "To Honor
Rosehill Cemetery
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(see Gerhardminnebron) refused to pay an illegally inflated tax. Government officials seized his wagon and attempted to auction it off to pay the tax on 11 November 1880, but a hundred armed Boers disrupted the auction, assaulted the presiding sheriff, and reclaimed the wagon. The first shots of the war were fired when this group fought back against government troops who were sent after them. After the Transvaal formally declared independence from the United Kingdom, the war began on 16 December 1880 with shots fired by Transvaal Boers at Potchefstroom. This led to the action at Bronkhorstspruit on 20 December
First Boer War
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Charleston in the American Civil War Charleston, South Carolina, was a hotbed of secession at the start of the American Civil War and an important Atlantic Ocean port city for the fledgling Confederate States of America. The first shots against the Federal government were those fired there by cadets of the Citadel to stop a ship from resupplying the Federally held Ft. Sumter. Three months later, the bombardment of Fort Sumter triggered a massive call for Federal troops to put down the rebellion. Although the city and its surrounding fortifications were repeatedly targeted by the Union Army and Navy, Charleston
Charleston in the American Civil War
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J. Thompson Brown John Thompson Brown (February 6, 1835 – May 6, 1864) was a Confederate States Army colonel and artillerist in the American Civil War. He participated in the first exchange of cannon fire, in fact the first shots fired, between a Confederate force and a Union force in Virginia during the Civil War. Brown's company of the Virginia (soon to be Confederate) Richmond Howitzers artillery regiment, with Brown in command according to some sources, and a Union force, the gunboat USS "Yankee", had a minor engagement at the Battle of Gloucester Point, Virginia on May 7, 1861. Neither
J. Thompson Brown
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machine gun and fired warning shots with little effect. Marxuach fired a shot from a cannon located at the Santa Rosa battery of "El Morro" fort, in what is considered to be the first shot of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship flying the colors of the Central Powers, forcing the "Odenwald" to stop and to return to port where its supplies were confiscated. The shots ordered by Lt. Marxuach were the first fired by the United States in World War I. Marxuach's actions became an international incident when the
Puerto Ricans in World War I
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raised in 1812 in Virginia and fought in the Canadian and Chesapeake theaters of the War of 1812. This regiment, however, has no historical connection to the modern unit bearing the same designation. Less than a month after the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in South Carolina, the 12th Infantry Regiment was constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry. It was organized 20 October 1861 at Fort Hamilton in New York. The battalion saw extensive combat during the Civil War, participating in twelve campaigns with the Army
12th Infantry Regiment (United States)
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best known worldwide. Revenue-Marine cutters again served under the U.S. Navy in the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848. The cutters were crucial for shallow-water amphibious assaults. On 11 April 1861, the USRC "Harriet Lane" fired the first shots of the maritime conflict in the American Civil War of 1861–1865. The cutter fired a shot across the bow of the civilian steamship "Nashville" as it tried to enter Charleston Harbor during the bombardment of Fort Sumter because "Nashville" was flying no identifying flag. The civilian ship then promptly raised the U.S. standard, and "Harriet Lane" broke off. President Abraham Lincoln issued the
United States Revenue Cutter Service
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Morris Island Morris Island is an 840-acre (3.4 km²) uninhabited island in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, accessible only by boat. The island lies in the outer reaches of the harbor and was thus a strategic location in the American Civil War. The island forms parts of the cities of Charleston and Folly Beach, in Charleston County. Morris Island was heavily fortified to defend Charleston Harbor, with the fortifications centered on Fort Wagner. On January 9, 1861, the first shots of the American Civil War were fired from cannons by cadets of The Citadel at the "Star of the West"
Morris Island
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of slavery, more than tariffs or states' rights, was the main factor contributing to sectionalism in South Carolina. The Secession Convention declared: White southerners feared revolts by enslaved people. In 1860, half of South Carolina's population were enslaved black people. Following its Secession from the Union in December, South Carolina militia seized Castle Pinckney and the Charleston Arsenal and their supplies of arms and ammunition. On January 9, 1861, Citadel cadets fired upon the merchant ship "Star of the West" as it was entering Charleston's harbor. Local pride makes some call these the first shots of the Civil War. The
Charleston in the American Civil War
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Rico National Cemetery located in Bayamón, Puerto Rico next to his son Colonel Gilberto José Marxuach (1910–1957) known as "The Father of the San Juan Civil Defense". Congressional Gold Medal On June 10, 2014, President Barack Obama, signed the legislation known as "The Borinqueneers CGM Bill" at an official ceremony. The Bill honors the 65th Infantry Regiment with the Congressional Gold Medal. Teófilo Marxuach Lieutenant Colonel Teófilo Marxuach, (July 28, 1877 – November 8, 1939), was the person who ordered the first shots fired in World War I on behalf of the United States on an armed German supply ship
Teófilo Marxuach
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Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a sea fort in Charleston, South Carolina, notable for two battles of the American Civil War. It was one of a number of special forts planned after the War of 1812, combining high walls and heavy masonry, and classified as Third System, as a grade of structural integrity. Work started in 1829, but was incomplete by 1860, when South Carolina seceded from the Union. The First Battle of Fort Sumter began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate artillery fired on the Union garrison. These were the first shots of the war and continued all day,
Fort Sumter
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and the American Civil War, in which the cutter "Harriet Lane" fired the first naval shots attempting to relieve besieged Fort Sumter. The last time the Coast Guard operated as a whole within the Navy was in World War II. Coast Guard Squadron One, was a combat unit formed by the United States Coast Guard in 1965 for service during the Vietnam War. Placed under the operational control of the United States Navy, it was assigned duties in Operation Market Time. Its formation marked the first time since World War II that Coast Guard personnel were used extensively in a
United States Coast Guard
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enough to be engaged. Seizing this first and tenuous possibility, "President's" forecastle bow chasers fired the first shot of the war, by Rodgers himself, with two more almost immediately following. All three shots struck "Belvidera" at her stern, striking the rudder assembly and captain's quarters, killing or wounding nine men. With only a few more shots needed to disable the British vessel "President" fired again, but the tide of battle turned when one of its guns burst, killing 16 men, wounding others, including Rodgers, who was violently thrown back with his leg broken from the impact. There was a pause
John Rodgers (1772–1838)
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months earlier, the right-wing government declared independence on 6 December 1917. On 27 January 1918, the official opening shots of the war were fired in two simultaneous events. The government started to disarm the Russian forces in Pohjanmaa, and the Social Democratic Party staged a coup. The latter gained control of southern Finland and Helsinki, but the white government continued in exile from Vaasa. This sparked the brief but bitter civil war. The Whites, who were supported by Imperial Germany, prevailed over the Reds. After the war, tens of thousands of Reds and suspected sympathizers were interned in camps, where
Finland
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Star of the West Star of the West was an American civilian steamship that was launched in 1852 and scuttled by Confederate forces in 1863. In January 1861, the ship was hired by the government of the United States to transport military supplies and reinforcements to the U.S. military garrison of Fort Sumter. Cadets from The Citadel fired upon the ship, effectively the first shots fired in the American Civil War. The ship was later captured by Confederate forces, then used for several purposes including as a hospital ship and a blockade runner, and finally scuttled in defense of Vicksburg
Star of the West
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returned. By early April, political tensions were mounting and Beauregard demanded that Sumter surrender before a planned Union expedition to re-provision the fort could arrive. Early on the morning of April 12, negotiations with Anderson had failed and aides of Beauregard, sent to deal personally with Anderson, ordered the first shots of the American Civil War to be fired from nearby Fort Johnson. The bombardment of Fort Sumter lasted for 34 hours. Subjected to thousands of rounds fired from batteries ringing the harbor, Anderson surrendered Fort Sumter on April 14. Biographer T. Harry Williams described the extravagant praise from throughout
P. G. T. Beauregard
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supplies were confiscated. The shots ordered by Lt. Marxuach are widely regarded to be the first shots fired by the United States in World War I, although the first actual wartime shot fired by the U.S. came on the day war was declared, during the scuttling of the SMS Cormoran off Guam. During World War II the United States Army added a massive concrete bunker to the top of El Morro to serve as a Harbor Defense Fire Control Station to direct a network of coastal artillery sites, and to keep watch for German submarines which were ravaging shipping in
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
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Big Chill. Michigan wore a vintage jersey for the event, which was worn from 1945 to 1948. Michigan fired 29 shots on Michigan State goalie Drew Palmisano, while Michigan State fired 34 shots on Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick, who recorded his first shutout of the season and the second of his career. The Big Chill at the Big House The Big Chill at the Big House (a.k.a. Cold War II) was an outdoor college ice hockey game played on December 11, 2010, at Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Michigan Wolverines men's team defeated its
The Big Chill at the Big House
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Union officer told Thomas that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered his army one month earlier, and the colonel agreed to lay down his arms. The Civil War was over, and the last shots in North Carolina were those fired in Waynesville. After the war, Thomas went home to his family and those Cherokee who still looked to him as chief. In 1866, he received a pardon from President Andrew Johnson, after which he hoped to reenter politics and business. Thomas's mental condition began to deteriorate. According to the historians John Ehle ("The Trail of Tears"), Matthew D. Parker, and
William Holland Thomas
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stepped clear of Canty, drew his revolver, turned back to Canty, and fired four shots, one at each man, then fired a fifth shot. At the civil trial years later he said, "I was trying to get as many of them as I could." Other sources repeated Goetz's statements to New York City police as to the sequence of shots: Canty was shot first, then Allen, then Ramseur, then Cabey. In the related proceeding "People v. Goetz", the New York Court of Appeals summarized the incident: According to his statements to police, Goetz checked the first two men to make
1984 New York City Subway shooting
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Operation Libelle Operation Libelle ("Dragonfly" in German) was an evacuation operation of the German Armed Forces that took place on March 14, 1997 in the Albanian capital of Tirana. In the same week, American, British, and Italian military forces evacuated their citizens from Albania. Operation Libelle was the first time since World War II that German infantry soldiers fired shots in combat. In early 1997, riots spread across Albania after the collapse of major pyramid schemes drove the country into a serious economic and social crisis, culminating in the Albanian Civil War. After army and police armories were looted by
Operation Libelle
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Hugh Smith Thompson Hugh Smith Thompson (January 24, 1836November 20, 1904) was the 81st Governor of South Carolina, from 1882 to 1886. Born in Charleston, Thompson graduated from The Citadel in 1856 and was an instructor at the Arsenal Academy from 1858 to 1861. Leading a battalion of Citadel cadets on January 9, 1861, they fired the first shots of the American Civil War when they opened fire on the Union ship "Star of the West" entering Charleston's harbor. For the remainder of the war, he served as an instructor of the cadets at The Citadel. At the end of
Hugh Smith Thompson
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Lieutenant Colonel), a native of Arroyo, Puerto Rico, fired the first shot in what is considered to be the first shot of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship flying the colors of the Central Powers Marxuach, who was a member of the "Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry" and Officer of the Day, on March 25, 1915, opened fire on the "Odenwald", an armed German supply vessel, when it was trying to force its way out of San Juan's bay. The shots ordered by Lt. Marxuach were the first fired by
San Juan, Puerto Rico
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1961 with the Battle of Adal, when Hamid Idris Awate and his companions fired the first shots against the occupying Ethiopian Army and police. In 1962, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia unilaterally dissolved the federation and the Eritrean parliament and annexed the country. In 1970 members of the group had a falling out, and several different groups broke away from the ELF. During this time, the ELF and the groups that later joined together to form the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) fought a bitter civil war. The two organizations were forced by popular will to reconcile in 1974 and
Eritrean War of Independence
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January 1861, she was chartered to the War Department. On January 9, 1861, weeks after South Carolina declared that it had seceded from the United States, but before other states had done so to form the Confederacy, "Star of the West" arrived at Charleston Harbor to resupply Major Robert Anderson's garrison at Fort Sumter. The ship was fired upon by cadets from The Citadel stationed at the Morris Island battery and was hit three times by what were effectively the first shots of the American Civil War. Although "Star of the West" suffered no major damage, her captain, John McGowan,
Star of the West
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four were shot down by German night fighters. The first night saw the most destruction. The first bombs fell at 19:23. Some 350 bombs fell within the city and approximately 2,500 bombs outside Helsinki. The total number of bombs dropped (included the ones that fell into the sea) amounted to some 6,990. Approximately 730 bomber aircraft participated in the raid. The bombers arrived in two waves: 18:51–21:40 on 6 February, and 00:57–04:57 on 7 February. The defense fired 122 barrages. The light AA artillery fired 2,745 shots and the heavy AA artillery fired 7,719 shots. The Finnish Air Force had
Bombing of Helsinki in World War II
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to seize the Federal arsenal in St. Louis. The prisoners were guarded by two lines of German-American Union soldiers, who were unpopular with many native-born Missourians, who resented their anti-slavery and anti-secessionist political views. Many people in St. Louis, having moved to the area from Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia, had southern sympathies. Tensions quickly mounted on the streets as civilians hurled fruit, rocks, paving stones, and insults at Lyon's Germans. Shots rang out, killing three militiamen. The soldiers fired into the nearby crowd of bystanders, injuring or killing numerous civilians. Angry mobs rioted throughout the city for the
German Americans in the American Civil War
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used as a synonym for the entire Toledo War. Surveyors wrote to Lucas afterwards that while observing "the blessings of the Sabbath", Michigan militia forces advised them to retreat. In the ensuing chase, "nine of our men, who did not leave the ground in time after being fired upon by the enemy, from thirty to fifty shots, were taken prisoners and carried away into <nowiki>[</nowiki>Tecumseh<nowiki>]</nowiki>." While the details of the attack are disputed—Michigan claimed it fired no shots and had only discharged a few musket rounds in the air as the Ohio group retreated—the battle further infuriated both Ohioans and
Toledo War
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to who fired first. In the 1993 trial over the death of Deputy U.S. Marshal Degan, prosecutors alleged that Harris had fired the first shot; Harris asserted self-defense and was acquitted. On cross examination by the defense, ballistics experts called by the prosecution testified that the physical evidence contradicted neither the prosecution nor defense theories of the firefight. It was the testimony of Martin Fackler, regarding those responsible for which shots, that Roderick fired the shot or shots that killed the dog, that Degan fired the shot that hit Sammy in the right elbow, that Harris shot and killed Degan,
Ruby Ridge
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strongly from Pritchard's. The battle lasted only 25 minutes. In the end, 21 Red River settlers and Hudson Bay Company employees were killed, including Governor Semple, while the North West Company had one killed and one wounded, plus an unknown number of native casualties. This event would come to be known as the Battle of Seven Oaks after the name of the location at which it took place. There was at first much disagreement as to who fired the first shots of the battle. The Nor’Westers and Métis testified that Semple’s men fired first and that the first shot was
Pemmican War
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The First Gun is Fired "The First Gun is Fired: May God Protect the Right" was the first song written specifically for the American Civil War. It was first published and distributed three days after the Battle of Fort Sumter. George F. Root, who wrote it the day before it first appeared in print, is said to have produced the most songs of anyone about the war, over thirty in total. "The First Gun is Fired" was first performed in public at a patriotic rally in Metropolitan Hall in Chicago, Illinois, by two well-known singers of the day, the Lombard
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between the northern and southern delegates on the issue of extending slavery to the territories. The convention disintegrated when delegates were unable to summon a two-thirds majority for any candidate. This divisiveness resulted in a split in the Democratic Party, and the election of Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate. On December 24, 1860, the South Carolina General Assembly made the state the first to ever secede from the Union. On January 9, 1861, Citadel cadets fired the first shots of the American Civil War when they opened fire on the Union ship "Star of the West" entering Charleston's harbor. On
History of Charleston
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prohibiting carrying weapons in town. It is not known who started shooting first. Accounts by both participants and eye-witnesses were contradictory. Those loyal to one side or the other told conflicting stories and independent eyewitnesses who did not know the participants by sight were unable to say for certain who shot first. Most witnesses reported the first two shots were so close together that they could barely be distinguished. Some witnesses testified that Morgan and Doc fired across one another at Billy and Frank, respectively. Wyatt later testified that he and Billy Clanton fired the first two shots. Virgil said
Tom McLaury
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in the U.S. Civil War and the United States' destiny would have been different. According to a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States, the modern American focus on that day first started in California in 1863 in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico. "Far up in the gold country town of Columbia (now Columbia State Park) Mexican miners were so overjoyed at the news that they spontaneously fired off rifle shots and fireworks, sang patriotic
Cinco de Mayo
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spent at least part of the Civil War there. They are so incompetent that when they are formed into a firing squad in the episode titled "The Day They Shot Agarn" all of their shots miss Agarn despite the fact they are standing only a few yards from him. The most common running gag through both seasons of the series (shown in every first season opening except for the pilot episode) involves the fort's lookout tower. Every time the cannon is fired in salute the lit fuse burns out. Corporal Agarn or Private Dobbs then steps up and kicks the
F Troop
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the fort. Some historians claim that these were the first shots fired in the Civil War. On January 10, 1861, the day Florida declared its secession from the Union, Slemmer destroyed over 20,000 pounds of gunpowder at Fort McRee. He then spiked the guns at Fort Barrancas, and moved his small force of 51 soldiers and 30 sailors to Fort Pickens. On January 15, 1861 and January 18, 1861, Slemmer refused surrender demands from Colonel William Henry Chase of the Florida militia. Chase had designed and constructed the fort as a captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Slemmer
Fort Pickens
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had he ever stated that he had seen a gun in Rodney's hands which had been obscured by the car door . The earlier IPCC inquiry established that Rodney was unarmed when he was shot and killed by 'E7'. In July 2013 the public inquiry concluded that the armed police officer who fired the fatal shots had "no lawful justification" for killing Rodney. The report of the inquiry noted that eight shots were fired from close range in 2.1 seconds, six of which hit Rodney. The first two shots that hit him had neutralised any threat from Rodney. Subsequent shots
Death of Azelle Rodney
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down six bombers during the following two raids. The anti-aircraft batteries fired 184 barrages and downed two bombers. Heavy AA batteries fired 12,238 shots and light AA batteries fired 5,709 shots. Most of the population of Helsinki had voluntarily evacuated to the countryside and the remainder were prepared to take shelter at first warning. This reduced casualties significantly. This time 383 bombers participated. While 4,317 bombs fell on the city, the sea and in the surrounding area, only 100 bombs fell within the city. The warning was sounded at 20:12 and the bombers approached again in two waves: 20:12–23:10 on
Bombing of Helsinki in World War II
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know the participants by sight were unable to say for certain who shot first. All witnesses agreed that general firing almost immediately commenced. Most witnesses reported the first two shots were so close together that they could barely be distinguished. Some witnesses testified that Morgan and Doc fired across one another at Billy and Frank, respectively. Wyatt said that he and Billy Clanton had fired first, and Virgil confirmed that one of the first shots was fired by Billy Clanton. Witnesses could not agree on whether Tom McLaury was armed. The existing record of the events surrounding the gunfight and
O.K. Corral hearing and aftermath
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the Indiana Legion, who withdrew after Morgan's men began firing artillery from the river's southern shore. The state militia quickly retreated towards Corydon, Indiana, where a larger body was gathering to block Morgan's advance. The Confederates advanced rapidly on the town and engaged in the Battle of Corydon. After a brief but fierce fight, Morgan took command of high ground south of town, and Corydon's local militia and citizens promptly surrendered after Morgan's artillery fired two warning shots. Corydon was sacked, but little damage was done to its buildings. Morgan continued his raid north and burned most of the town
Indiana in the American Civil War
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on McDonald, while McDonald was walking away from Van Dyke when the first shot was fired. The first shot hit McDonald, who spun and fell to the ground. As McDonald lay on the ground, still holding the knife, Van Dyke fired more shots into him. In total, Van Dyke fired 16 shots at McDonald in 14–15 seconds, expending the maximum capacity of his 9 mm semi-automatic firearm. Van Dyke was on the scene for less than 30 seconds before opening fire and began shooting approximately six seconds after exiting his car. The first responding officer said that he did not
Murder of Laquan McDonald
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effect. Marxuach then fired a cannon of the Santa Rosa battery in the upper platform of El Morro, in what is considered to be the first shot of World War I fired by the regular armed forces of the United States against any ship flying the colors of the Central Powers, forcing the "Odenwald" to stop and to return to port, where its supplies were confiscated. The shots ordered by Lt. Marxuach were the first fired by the United States in World War I. Marxuach's actions became an international incident when the German Government accused the United States Government of
Teófilo Marxuach
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the British Empire. The first Allied shots of World War I were fired when a gun at Fort Nepean fired across the bow of the German freighter "Pfalz", as she was attempting to escape to sea. The orders to fire came from Fort Queenscliff. The same gun, with a different barrel, also fired the first Allied shot of World War II. By 1946 coastal artillery was outmoded, and the Fort became home of the Army Command and Staff College. After the three Service Staff Colleges were combined into the Australian Defence College in Canberra, it became the base for Army's
Fort Queenscliff
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Steinway Diary, 1861–1896," was on view in the Albert H. Small Documents Gallery from Dec. 17, 2010 through April 8, 2011. In the diaries, Steinway documented more than 36 years of his life through near-daily notes in nine volumes and some 2,500 pages, beginning eight days after the first shots of the Civil War were fired and three days before his wedding. The exhibition of the diary included select diary passages, Steinway family photographs, maps and advertisements, and documentation of his role in the creation of the New York City subway and the company town of Steinway in Queens, N.Y.
William Steinway
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elected to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States. He was a member of the committee which drafted the Confederate States Constitution. In the spring of 1861, he served as an aide-de-camp to General P.G.T. Beauregard and was sent by the general to demand the surrender of Fort Sumter in Charleston. After the commander of the fort, Major Robert Anderson of the U.S. Army declined to surrender, Chesnut gave orders to the nearby Fort Johnson to open fire on Fort Sumter. In consequence the first shots of the Civil War were fired, on April 12, 1861. In the summer of
James Chesnut Jr.
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an educational institution in 1882. During the Civil War, the SCMA Corps of Cadets was organized into a military unit known as the Battalion of State Cadets which took part in nine engagements. In January 1861, Citadel Academy cadets manning a battery on Morris Island fired the first shots of the conflict when they shelled the Union steamship Star of the West which was attempting to resupply Fort Sumter. In December 1864, the cadet battalion made up more than a third of a Confederate force that defended a strategic rail line during the Battle of Tulifinny, the only occasion when
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina
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guns and slow rate of fire. Du Pont was then given direct orders from the Navy Department to launch an attack on Charleston, South Carolina which was the site of the first shots fired in the Civil War with the fall of Fort Sumter and the main area in which the Union blockade had been unsuccessful. Though Du Pont believed that Charleston could not be taken without significant land troop support, he nevertheless attacked with nine ironclads on April 7, 1863. Unable to navigate properly in the obstructed channels leading to the harbor, his ships were caught in a blistering
Samuel Francis Du Pont
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southwest. Double Bridges was the site where two bridges spanned either side of Owen's Island in the middle of the Flint River. A brief Civil War (1861–65) cavalry skirmish took place there. On April 18, 1865, Union raiders began three days of devastation in Upson County. Union Major General James Harrison Wilson's cavalry was headed toward Macon; its task was to destroy the agricultural and industrial facilities in the South. Fifty men of the First Battalion Georgia Cavalry Reserves stood to defend the bridges. The defenders fired a few scattered shots at the larger Union forces before fleeing. Union soldiers
Upson County, Georgia
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their recoil moved them down the reverse slope, where they could be safely reloaded. Meanwhile, McDowell ordered the batteries of Ricketts and Griffin to move from Dogan's Ridge to the hill for close infantry support. Their 11 guns engaged in a fierce artillery duel across against Jackson's 13. Unlike many engagements in the Civil War, here the Confederate artillery had an advantage. The Union pieces were now within range of the Confederate smoothbores and the predominantly rifled pieces on the Union side were not effective weapons at such close ranges, with many shots fired over the head of their targets.
First Battle of Bull Run
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fire on the crowd. Although there are no accounts hinting that the crowd indeed possessed guns, the British commander Woodhouse insisted that it was uncertain whether the first shots were fired by the police or the demonstrators. More than 28 demonstrators were killed, and 148 were injured. This signaled the beginning of the "Dekemvriana" (, "the December events"), a 37-day period of full-scale fighting in Athens between EAM fighters and smaller parts of ELAS and the forces of the British army and the government. At the beginning the government had only a few policemen and gendarmes, some militia units, the
Greek Civil War
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the various state militias into the present National Guard system. On the morning of 21 July 1861, the Union Army under the command of Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell, in an effort to cripple the newly assembled Confederate Army at Manassas, Virginia, fired the opening shots of the first major battle of the Civil War. Both armies were largely made up of volunteer militia with regiments of both sides wearing blue and gray uniforms. The brunt of the Union attack fell on the Confederate left flank. Confederate Brig. Gen Barnard Bee, having recently resigned from the U. S. Army and still
Alabama Army National Guard
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Speed S. Fry Speed Smith Fry (September 9, 1817 – August 1, 1892) was a lawyer, judge, and a United States Army officer during the Mexican–American War and American Civil War. Fry was born in Mercer County, Kentucky (now Boyle County) near Danville. He graduated from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 1840 and returned to Danville to practice law under his uncle. He served as a captain in the 2nd Kentucky Volunteer Regiment during the Mexican–American War and saw action at the Battle of Buena Vista, where his company fired the last shots of the battle. After the war
Speed S. Fry
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was initially intended to be limited, resources were mobilized quickly, and the first shots were fired almost immediately. Just hours after the Australian declaration of war, a gun at Fort Queenscliff fired across the bows of a ship as it attempted to leave Melbourne without required clearances. On 10 October 1939, an aircraft of No. 10 Squadron RAAF based in England became the first Commonwealth air force unit to go into action when it undertook a mission to Tunisia. The first Canadian convoy of 15 ships bearing war goods departed Halifax just six days after the nation declared war, with
British Empire in World War II
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consists of a maximum of 20 shots. Just like in the two 10 m events the final begins with 2 series of 3 shots, where each series must be fired in 150 seconds. After the first two series, a maximum of 14 single shots can be fired, and in this case each shot must be fired in 50 second. From this point, the lowest-ranked athlete is eliminated after every 2 shots. The final ends up with only two athletes left on the line, and the last 2 shots deciding the gold medal winner. Ties are broken by shoot-offs shots. The
International Shooting Sport Federation
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began on 29 March, when 150 mortar shots and 60 cannon shots were fired. It continues, saying that during the next three days only the mortars were used, firing 100 shots per day. In total, during the first period of the siege, the attackers fired 2,975 shots from mortars and 1,531 from cannon, and the Swedes fired 399 mortar shots and 7,464 cannon shots; thus the Swedish fire outweighed the Russian fire. On 5 April, Apraksin noted that "our cannon are doing little to help us, for they are rather small and light; when we begin firing, the opponent shoots
Siege of Viborg (1710)
700735
at a group of children who had been incapacitated by his earlier shots. A Primary 7 pupil who was walking along the west side of the gym building at the time heard loud bangs and screams and looked inside the gym. Hamilton shot in his direction and the pupil was injured by flying glass before running away. From this position, Hamilton fired 24 shots in various directions. He fired shots towards a window next to the fire exit at the south-east end of the gym, possibly at an adult who was walking across the playground, and then fired four more
Dunblane massacre
10045725
criminal organization. This was summed up by Salvatore Contorno who, when asked at the Maxi Trial about the "winners" and "losers" of the Second Mafia War, declared: "The winning and losing clans don't exist, because the losers don't exist. They, the Corleonesi, killed them all." Second Mafia War The Second Mafia War was a conflict within the Sicilian Mafia, mostly taking place from 1981 to 1983, although the first shots had been fired in 1978, and some killing continued until the end of the 1980s. It involved over a thousand homicides. Sometimes referred to as The Great Mafia War or
Second Mafia War
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foreigners who flocked to the Transvaal gold-rush, and warned it would lead to war with Britain. On the outbreak of war, de la Rey was appointed one of Piet Cronjé's field generals. De la Rey led an attack that resulted in the first shots of the war being fired at Kraaipan in an attack on a British armored train that was on its way back to Kimberley from Mafeking. The train was derailed and after a five-hour fight, the British surrendered. This incident made de la Rey famous, but exacerbated his conflicts with the cautious and unimaginative Cronjé, who sent
Koos de la Rey
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first time Arroyo was hit or injured during his attack on the courthouse. Wilson was forced to take cover behind Arroyo's truck in a prone position and exchanged fire with Arroyo. As Arroyo began to approach Wilson's position, he stood up from behind cover and fired again, hitting Arroyo. Unknown to Wilson, Arroyo was wearing a bulletproof vest, rendering Wilson's shots ineffective. Arroyo eventually fired a shot that struck Wilson, who faltered and fell from the view of witnesses, face down behind Arroyo's truck. Arroyo then walked up to Wilson and fired three more shots at him, killing him. Officers
Tyler courthouse shooting
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Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Uniformed security advanced toward peaceful protesters between 11:30 p.m and midnight. At that time, Hassan was shot in the upper right thigh. Witnesses claimed shots were fired by unidentified men who were possibly militia from about away and who were in a dark Toyota Land Cruiser without license places, who were with security but not uniformed, who fired shots. After Hassan was shot, onlookers tried to help him, but he fainted from losing so much blood. They took him to a nearby house to receive first aid but the wound had hit a main blood
Ahmed Ismail Hassan
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the "Fighting Gamecocks." Since 1903 the college's teams have been simply known as the "Gamecocks." Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, a fort planned after the War of 1812, was named for him. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter. Counties in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Alabama are named for him. Thomas Sumter Thomas Sumter (August 14, 1734 – June 1, 1832) was a soldier in the Colony of Virginia militia; a brigadier general in the South Carolina militia during the American
Thomas Sumter
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argued that the available physical evidence, corroborating eye-witness accounts, showed that multiple shots were fired at President Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, strongly implying the existence of an assassination conspiracy. Based on an examination of the Zapruder film, Thompson's book contends that three individuals fired four shots at Kennedy in Dealey Plaza: the first shot was fired from the Texas School Book Depository and struck Kennedy in the back; the second shot was fired from the Dallas County Records building and struck Governor John Connally; the third and fourth shots were fired from the Texas School Book Depository
Josiah Thompson
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each shot, as pistols are single-loaded. The qualifications round consists of 60 shots, while in the elimination-style final athletes can shoot a maximum of 20 shots. Following the athletes presentation, the final begins with 2 series of 5 shots, where each series must be fired in 250 seconds. After the first 2 series, a maximum of 14 single shots can be fired, and in this case each shot must be fired in 50 second. From this point, the lowest-ranked athlete is eliminated after every 2 shots. The final ends up with only two athletes left on the line and the
International Shooting Sport Federation
5872175
is placed at a distance of 10 meters. Athletes reload their rifles after each shot. The qualifications consist of 60 shots, while in the elimination-style final athletes can shoot a maximum of 20 shots. After the athletes’ presentation, the final begins with 2 series of 3 shots, where each series must be fired within 150 seconds. After the first two series, a total of 14 single shots are fired, and in this case each shot must be fired within 50 seconds. From this point, after every 2 shots the lowest-ranked athlete is eliminated. The final ends up with only two
International Shooting Sport Federation
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August 1914, Citizens Forces units were called up to guard essential points and man coastal forts and harbour defences. The first Australian shots (many sources report the first Allied shots) of both World War I and World War II were fired by the garrison at Fort Nepean. By June 1918, 9,215 home service troops were on active duty in Australia, alongside 2,476 regular soldiers. From 1915, only skeleton garrisons were maintained at coastal forts, but the personnel manning them were forbidden to enlist in the AIF. This ban was lifted in April 1915 but the presence of a German commerce
Australian Army Reserve
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a searchlight, along with an engine house to generate electricity. The remaining gun emplacements were renumbered – the Mk VII guns were numbered A1 and B1, and the 6 inch BL guns numbered F1 and H1. Light anti-aircraft guns were deployed at the fort in 1939. The remaining 6 inch BL guns were removed in 1940. The A1 and B1 emplacements were renumbered F1 and H1 respectively, and fitted with concrete hoods. The first Australian shots (many sources report the first Allied shots) of both World War I and World War II were fired from Fort Nepean. On 5 August
Fort Nepean
3087226
apparent assassination attempt in his cell the night after a prison riot. While Buck was sitting in his cell listening to the mêlée outside, eight shots were fired into his cell via a window, narrowly missing the prisoner. In late 1933, Minister of Justice Hugh Guthrie admitted in the House of Commons of Canada that shots had been deliberately fired into Buck's cell, but "just to frighten him". A widespread civil rights campaign ultimately secured Buck's release. His extensive testimony before the Archambault Commission contributed to the reform of prisons in Canada. As a result, Buck was hailed a heroic
Tim Buck
16578429
In the video, which starts just as a burst of two shots was fired (the 7th and 8th shots), Boyd is seen crawling on the road, unarmed. In the time between the eighth and ninth (fatal) shot, an officer is seen standing near Boyd handling an object that analysis of the video showed to be a chain and throwing it to one side thus providing conclusive evidence that Boyd was unarmed at the time the fatal shot was fired. David Eby, executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, said that the video made it clear that Boyd did not
Paul Boyd (animator)
2199777
the guns fired in a counterclockwise sequence around the harbor, with 2 minutes between each shot; Beauregard wanted to conserve ammunition, which he calculated would last for only 48 hours. Edmund Ruffin, another noted Virginia secessionist, had traveled to Charleston to be present for the beginning of the war, and fired one of the first shots at Sumter after the signal round, a 64-pound shell from the Iron Battery at Cummings Point. The shelling of Fort Sumter from the batteries ringing the harbor awakened Charleston's residents (including diarist Mary Chesnut), who rushed out into the predawn darkness to watch the
Battle of Fort Sumter
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it, and the German Captain appeared on the parapet. We both bowed and saluted and got down into our respective trenches, and he fired two shots in the air, and the War was on again." J. C. Dunn James Churchill Dunn (1871–1955) was a British medical officer during World War I, and author. He is known for his memoir "The War the Infantry Knew", first published in 1938. Dunn, who had previously served in South Africa, was Regimental Medical Officer for the Royal Welch Fusiliers during World War I, and is mentioned in the memoirs of both Robert Graves and
J. C. Dunn
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was presumed innocent or guilty. Immediately after the explosion, the CCMOA and the Citizens' Alliance met at Victor's Military Club in the Armory and plotted the removal of all civil authorities that they did not control. Their first target was Sheriff Robertson. When he declined to resign immediately, they fired several shots, produced a rope, and gave him the choice of resignation or immediate lynching. He resigned. The mine owners replaced him with a man who was a member of the CCMOA and of the Citizens' Alliance. In the next few days the CCMOA and the Citizens' Alliance forced more
Sherman Bell
17881725
engineers in manning defence electric lights at Port Jackson, Port Phillip, Fort Lytton, Fremantle and on the Derwent River. All coastal defence batteries were activated hours before the declaration of war against Germany (which took place at 9:00 am Melbourne time on 4 August). The next morning the first Allied shots of the war were fired by the garrison at Fort Nepean, which was located at the opening of Port Phillip Bay, after the examination battery there fired a shell over the bows of the German cargo ship SS "Pfalz" when the ship failed to stop. In accordance with pre-war
Australian Army during World War I
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for each shot were in increments of 1, with a maximum score of 10. The first 30 shots were in the precision stage, with series of 5 shots being shot within 5 minutes. The second set of 30 shots gave shooters 3 seconds to take each shot. The top 8 shooters in the qualifying round moved on to the final round. There, they fired an additional 20 shots. These shots scored in increments of .1, with a maximum score of 10.9. They were fired in four sets of 5 rapid fire shots. The total score from all 80 shots was
Shooting at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 25 metre pistol
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off on the statement: "There was no question in the mind of any member of the Commission that all the shots which caused the President's and Governor Connally's wounds were fired from the sixth floor window of the Texas School Book Depository." Within minutes after the shots rang out in Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas, at 12:30 p.m. on November 22, 1963, independent sources began reporting that three shots had been fired at the President's motorcade. At 12:34 p.m., approximately four minutes after the shots were fired, the first wire story flashed around the world: DALLAS NOV. 22 (UPI)
Single-bullet theory
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13 February they found a camp that had been occupied only a few days previously. The next day they found a camp with a fire still burning and then spotted a group of people climbing the cliff on the opposite side of the flooded stream. One of them was Te Kooti. Shots were exchanged and the chase was on. Later the same day Nikora te Tuhi spotted Te Kooti in the distance and fired two shots at him. They both missed but they were the last shots fired in the New Zealand Wars. Te Kooti continued to elude the pursuers.
Te Kooti's War
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Al-Nidal launchers, and 62 complete Al-Hussein missiles. During the 1994 civil war in Yemen South Yemen separatists fired Scud missiles at the Yemeni Capital Sana'a. A small number of Scuds were used by Russian forces in 1996 during the First Chechen War and in late 1999/early 2000 during the Second Chechen War, including during the Battle of Grozny (1999–2000). Although frequently reported by media as Scuds, the majority of the 60–100 SRBMs fired in the Chechen Wars were the OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21 Scarab-B). In May 2011, early during the Libyan Civil War, it was rumored that Scud-B's had been fired
Scud
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open press cars and a press bus, none of whom reported hearing a number of shots other than three. Photographers Robert Jackson and Tom Dillard riding in a car in the motorcade heard three shots. "The Dallas Morning News" reporter Mary Woodward described hearing three shots as she stood in front of the Texas School Book Depository. There has been some controversy over the number of shots fired during the assassination. The Warren Commission concluded that three shots were fired. The vast majority of witnesses claim to have heard three, but there are some witnesses who could recall only one
Single-bullet theory
3659758
regard to the two shots fired on August 22, we concluded that the first shot met the standard of 'objective reasonableness' the Constitution requires for the legal use of deadly force but that the second shot did not satisfy that standard." The surviving members of the Weaver family received $3.1M in 1995 to settle their civil suit brought against the U.S. government for wrongful deaths of Vicki Weaver and 14-year-old Samuel Weaver who was killed the day before during an encounter with U.S. Marshals. In the out-of-court settlement, the government did not admit any wrongdoing. Harris received $380,000 in 2000.
Lon Horiuchi
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lowering the percentage of the vote a candidate receives. During the protests, at least one man was killed and many others wounded during clashes between U.N. forces and Preval supporters. Witnesses claimed that Jordanian soldiers, who are serving as part of MINUSTAH, shot at the protesters. U.N. spokesman David Wimhurst at first denied that the U.N. soldiers had fired any shots, but then later said that the soldiers fired two "warning shots" into the air. Talking publicly for the first time since the voting took place, Preval said "We are convinced there was massive fraud and gross errors that affected
2006 Haitian general election
12284904
war in South Ossetia, which only a day earlier had threatened Salukvadze's participation in the Olympics; Salukvadze took the opportunity to take a stand for a peaceful solution. The event consisted of two rounds: a qualifier and a final. In the qualifier, each shooter fired 40 shots with an air pistol at 10 metres distance. Scores for each shot were in increments of 1, with a maximum score of 10. The top 8 shooters in the qualifying round moved on to the final round. There, they fired an additional 10 shots. These shots scored in increments of .1, with a
Shooting at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 10 metre air pistol
5193300
years seeking to write a book about President Buchanan, and his mind keeps reverting to the 19th century and, among other incidents, the mission of the sloop to Fort Sumter. Star of the West Star of the West was an American civilian steamship that was launched in 1852 and scuttled by Confederate forces in 1863. In January 1861, the ship was hired by the government of the United States to transport military supplies and reinforcements to the U.S. military garrison of Fort Sumter. Cadets from The Citadel fired upon the ship, effectively the first shots fired in the American Civil
Star of the West
12578182
fail us never,<br> Its strength shall fail us never,<br> That strength we'll give to our righteous cause,<br> And our glorious land forever. Chorus—Arise! arise! arise!<br> And gird ye for the fight,<br> And let our watchword ever be,<br> "May God protect the right!" The First Gun is Fired "The First Gun is Fired: May God Protect the Right" was the first song written specifically for the American Civil War. It was first published and distributed three days after the Battle of Fort Sumter. George F. Root, who wrote it the day before it first appeared in print, is said to have
The First Gun is Fired
217544
and others convinced him to avoid battle, arguing that he was more valuable as a political leader than as a soldier. As Hancock and Adams made their escape, the first shots of the war were fired at Lexington and Concord. Soon after the battle, Gage issued a proclamation granting a general pardon to all who would "lay down their arms, and return to the duties of peaceable subjects"—with the exceptions of Hancock and Samuel Adams. Singling out Hancock and Adams in this manner only added to their renown among Patriots. With the war underway, Hancock made his way to the
John Hancock
4132812
Houston Street and slowly approached the Texas School Book Depository head-on. According to witnesses, the shooting occurred shortly after the limousine made the sharp left-hand turn from Houston onto Elm Street. Most of the witnesses recalled that the first shot was fired after the president had started waving with his right hand. Several onlookers recalled hearing three shots, with the second and third shots bunched distinctly much closer together than the first and second shots. Witnesses estimate that from three to eight shots were fired. The Zapruder film shows the President re-emerging in the footage after being temporarily hidden from
Timeline of the John F. Kennedy assassination
2112191
evidence. It is the necessity for inference, and not the obviousness of a conclusion, that determines whether evidence is circumstantial. Forensic evidence supplied by an expert witness is usually treated as circumstantial evidence. For example, a forensic scientist may provide results of ballistic tests proving that the defendant’s firearm fired the bullets that killed the victim, but not necessarily that the defendant fired the shots. Circumstantial evidence is especially important in civil and criminal cases where direct evidence is lacking. Circumstantial evidence is used in civil courts to establish or refute liability. It is usually the most common form of
Circumstantial evidence
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The phrase "shot heard round the world" (alternatively "shots heard round the world" or "shot heard around the world") has also become associated with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914, an event considered to be one of the immediate causes of World War I. Serbian Gavrilo Princip fired two shots, the first hitting Franz Ferdinand's wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, and the second hitting the Archduke himself. The death of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, propelled Austria-Hungary and the rest of Europe into World War I. The phrase "Shot heard
Shot heard round the world
273658
London trained bands, both sides in the Civil War made little use of the militia, preferring to recruit their armies by other means. As successful English settlement of North America began to take place in 1607 in the face of the hostile intentions of the powerful Spanish, and of the native populations, it became immediately necessary to raise militia amongst the settlers. The militia in Jamestown saw constant action against the Powhatan Federation and other native polities. In the Virginia Company's other outpost, Bermuda, fortification began immediately in 1612. A Spanish attack in 1614 was repulsed by two shots fired
Militia
20897365
than three years later, in 1860, they turned back again, this time to Cache Valley's Richmond in the far north – just months before shots were fired at Fort Sumter in the East the following spring. Their hard-won livelihoods passed quietly during the years of national Civil War. The Ponds considered themselves greatly blessed. Stillman had been able to officiate in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City under the supervision of President Heber C. Kimball, but also, at the Council House, to be mentored in mathematics and astronomy in the evenings under the clear, guiding voice of Apostle Orson
Stillman Pond
17703002
opened a rapid fire upon him", according to Brinkerhoff. They had just fired their opening shots in the Battle of Vicksburg. While stationed in Mississippi with his regiment during the third year of the American Civil War, Brown was pressed into service as "a member of what is known as the 'volunteer storming party' or 'forlorn hope' on May 22, 1863, at Vicksburg," according to a sketch of his life which was presented in the "Observer-Reporter" of Washington, Pennsylvania in 2013. Attacking Vicksburg a second time in response to orders from General Ulysses S. Grant, Brown and a significant number
Uriah Brown
13356922
Shots were fired earlier at Lexington, Massachusetts where eight Americans were killed and a British soldier was slightly wounded, but accounts of that event are confused and contradictory. The North Bridge skirmish did see the first shots by Americans acting under orders, the first organized volley by Americans, the first British fatalities, and the first British retreat. The towns of Lexington and Concord have debated over the point of origin for the Revolutionary War since 1824, when the Marquis de Lafayette visited the towns. He was welcomed to Lexington hearing it described as the "birthplace of American liberty", but he
Shot heard round the world
1080843
the capital in a historically-French area. As a result of the wealth planters gained from sugar and cotton commodity crops, they built fine mansions and other buildings in town during the antebellum years. In the summer of 1862, Donaldsonville was bombarded by Union forces during the American Civil War as part of the Union's effort to gain control of the Mississippi River. The Union sent gunboats to the town and warned that if shots were fired, the Union Navy would strike the area for six miles to the south and nine miles to the north and destroy every building on
Donaldsonville, Louisiana
10801402
days, the state hovered on the brink of a possible civil war. While the election results remained in dispute, Goebel, despite being warned of a rumored assassination plot against him, walked flanked by two bodyguards to the Old State Capitol on the morning of January 30, 1900. Reports conflict about what happened, but some five or six shots were fired from the nearby State Building, one striking Goebel in the chest and wounding him seriously. Taylor, serving as governor pending a final decision on the election, called out the militia and ordered the General Assembly into a special session, not
William Goebel
1671196
1,500 Pathet Lao troops into the national army was scheduled. The U.S. embassy told the Lao government that it would be difficult to gain congressional approval of aid to Laos with communists serving in the army. The Pathet Lao stalled. Under orders from Souphanouvong, the Pathet Lao battalions refused to be integrated into the Royal Lao Army. Souphanouvong was then arrested and imprisoned, along with his aides. The two Pathet Lao battalions, one after the other, escaped during the night with no shots fired, taking their equipment, families, and domestic animals with them. On 23 May, Souphanouvong and his companions
Laotian Civil War
1552123
powder residue after firing many shots, and the expanding skirt of the Minié ball meant that it would still form a tight fit with the barrel and impart a good spin into the round when fired. This gave the rifled musket an effective range of several hundred yards, which was a significant improvement over the smooth bore musket. For example, combat ranges of 300 yards were achievable using the rifled muskets of the American Civil War. Musketeers often used paper cartridges, which served a purpose similar to that of modern metallic cartridges in combining bullet and powder charge. A musket
Musket
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mostly by enslaved African-American workers. January 8, 1861, more than three months before the American Civil War officially started at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, a company of 50 U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Barrancas, under the command of John H. Winder fired upon a militia. This militia was Florida state troops under Colonel William Henry Chase demanding that the U.S. troops surrender the fort. Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer, acting commander in Winder's absence, had the troops fire shots meant to repel the militia. Lt Slemmer knew that Fort Pickens was easier to defend, so he spiked the guns at
Fort Barrancas
13727814
back to "Puerto Rico"). On March 21, 1915, the first shots by the United States in World War I were fired by the Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry from El Morro Castle at a German ship in San Juan Bay. U.S. Citizenship was imposed upon Puerto Ricans as a result of the 1917 Jones–Shafroth Act (the Puerto Rican House of Delegates rejected US citizenship) and were expected to serve in the military. Puerto Ricans who resided in the island were assigned to the "Porto Rico Provisional Regiment of Infantry," organized on June 30, 1901. The United States implemented the policy
Puerto Ricans in World War I