- Mar 31, 2009
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Little know fact, the first shots of the Civil War did not happen at Ft Sumter on April 12, 1861. The first exchange was three months before when the Star Of The West was sent to resupply Sumter. Cadets from the Citadel fired on it and drove it off after hitting it. It's not known if the Star Of The West fired first or the cadets, accounts differ.
No, that's only a little known fact to those who only have a public education concerning the civil war. There really isn't much controversy...the cadets fired the first shot. Of course this was before the Confederacy even existed...so it could be said that the Citadel or South Carolina fired the first shots of the Civil War.![]()
It's all for nothing it seems the North fired first at Ft Pickens. What difference does it make anyway? The Civil War was going to be fought no matter what, it was in place to happen
See my reply to Ft. Pickens. A required criteria, at least to historians, would be the existence of the Confederacy, which did not form until February 1861. There are some who claim that John Brown's raid were the first shots...one could make a case for many incidents, which is why some standard criteria is applied.![]()
It means little to me, the die had been cast, the Civil War was going to happen no matter who fired first