<P> The resupply of Fort Sumter became the first crisis of the administration of the newly inaugurated U.S. President Abraham Lincoln following his victory in the election of November 6 , 1860 . He notified the Governor of South Carolina , Francis W. Pickens that he was sending supply ships , which resulted in an ultimatum from the Confederate government for the immediate evacuation of Fort Sumter , which Major Anderson refused . Beginning at 4 : 30 a.m. on April 12 , the Confederates bombarded the fort from artillery batteries surrounding the harbor . Although the Union garrison returned fire , they were significantly outgunned and , after 34 hours , Major Anderson agreed to evacuate . There were no deaths on either side as a direct result of this engagement , although a gun explosion during the surrender ceremonies on April 14 caused two Union deaths . </P>
<P> The resupply of Fort Sumter became the first crisis of the administration of the newly inaugurated U.S. President Abraham Lincoln following his victory in the election of November 6 , 1860 . He notified the Governor of South Carolina , Francis W. Pickens that he was sending supply ships , which resulted in an ultimatum from the Confederate government for the immediate evacuation of Fort Sumter , which Major Anderson refused . Beginning at 4 : 30 a.m. on April 12 , the Confederates bombarded the fort from artillery batteries surrounding the harbor . Although the Union garrison returned fire , they were significantly outgunned and , after 34 hours , Major Anderson agreed to evacuate . There were no deaths on either side as a direct result of this engagement , although a gun explosion during the surrender ceremonies on April 14 caused two Union deaths . </P>
who fired the first shots of the civil war
who fired the first shots of the civil war
the Confederates
the Confederates