The year 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the attack on Fort Sumter, which was the start of the American Civil War.
The illustrations below depict some of the events that took place after Charleston seceeded from the Union in December of 1860, culminating in the bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12-13, 1861. These images were published in Harper's Weekly and New York Illustrated News, two magazines from the period that carried extensive coverage, including illustrations, of the Civil War.
Thumbnail Image | Caption/Description | Source of Illustration | Publication Date |
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Major Anderson, U.S.A., Commanding at Fort Sumter, S.C. – (From a portrait in the possession of Mrs. Anderson) | Harper's Weekly, January 12, 1861, [page 17]. |
1861-01-12 |
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Major Robert Anderson, Late of Fort Moultrie, at Present Commanding Fort Sumpter [sic]. From a portrait furnished by Mrs. Anderson, now staying in this city. | New York Illustrated News, January 12, 1861, page 145. |
1861-01-12 |
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Entry of Major Anderson's command into Fort Sumter on Christmas Night, 1860 | Harper's Weekly, January 12, 1861, page 25. |
1861-01-12 |
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Map Showing the Forts [including Ft. Sumter], Islands, etc., of the Harbor of Charleston, South Carolina | Harper's Weekly, January 19, 1861, page 37. |
1861-01-19 |
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Fort Johnson, Opposite Fort Sumter, Harbor of Charleston, South Carolina | Harper's Weekly, January 19, 1861, page 37. |
1861-01-19 |
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Steamship "Star of the West" | Harper's Weekly, January 19, 1861, pages 40. |
1861-01-19 |
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Steamship "Marion", seized by the state of South Carolina to be converted into a man-of-war. | Harper's Weekly, January 19, 1861, page 40. |
1861-01-19 |
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United States sloop of war "Brooklyn" | Harper's Weekly, January 19, 1861, page 41. |
1861-01-19 |
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Major Anderson Raising the United States Flag on Fort Sumter, after the Evacuation of Fort Moultrie. | New York Illustrated News, January 26, 1861, page 184. |
1861-01-26 |
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Prayer at Sumter, December 27, 1860. [Shows Anderson kneeling at the base of the flagpole.] | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 49. |
1861-01-26 |
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Secession War – Scenes on the Ramparts of Fort Sumter. Major Anderson Going the Rounds at Night | New York Illustrated News, January 26, 1861, page 185. |
1861-01-26 |
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Fort Sumter, Seen from the Rear, at Low Water – From a sketch by an officer of Major Anderson's Command | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 56. |
1861-01-26 |
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Main Battery at Fort Sumter, Bearing on Fort Moultrie and the Channel – From a sketch by an officer of Major Anderson's command | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 57. |
1861-01-26 |
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Fort Sumter – The Casemates: Hoisting a Gun | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 60. |
1861-01-26 |
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Fort Sumter – The Sally-Port | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 60. |
1861-01-26 |
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Interior of Fort Sumter, from the Parapet – Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command. | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 60 |
1861-01-26 |
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Gorge of Fort Sumter – Sally-port – Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command. | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 60. |
1861-01-26 |
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City of Charleston, South Carolina | Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1861, page 61. |
1861-01-26 |
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Captain J.G. Foster, Engineer Corps U.S.A., on Duty at Fort Sumter | Harper's Weekly, February 9, 1861, page 84. |
1861-02-09 |
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Ten-inch Columbiad Mounted as a Mortar at Fort Sumter, Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command | Harper's Weekly, February 16, 1861, page 100. |
1861-02-16 |
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Sally-port at Sumter – Interior | Harper's Weekly, February 16, 1861, page 101. |
1861-02-16 |
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Officers' Quarters at Fort Sumter – From a sketch by an officer of Major Anderson's command | Harper's Weekly, February 23, 1861, page 116. |
1861-02-23 |
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Good-by to Sumter – February 3, 1861 [Women and children on boat waving to men standing on top of fort.] | Harper's Weekly, February 23, 1861, page 116. |
1861-02-23 |
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Fort Moultrie, as Seen from Fort Sumter – (Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command) | Harper's Weekly, March 2, 1861, page 132. |
1861-03-02 |
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Morris Island, as Seen from Fort Sumter – (Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command). | Harper's Weekly, March 2, 1861, page 132. |
1861-03-02 |
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Fort Johnson, as Seen from Fort Sumter – (Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command). | Harper's Weekly, March 2, 1861, page 132. |
1861-03-02 |
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Iron-clad Battery on Cummings Point, as Seen from Fort Sumter – (Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command) | Harper's Weekly, March 2, 1861, page 133. |
1861-03-02 |
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Major Anderson's Quarters at Fort Sumter – (Drawn by an officer of his command) | Harper's Weekly, March 16, 1861, page 164. |
1861-03-16 |
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Major Anderson's Candlestick | Harper's Weekly, March 16, 1861, page 164. |
1861-03-16 |
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Embrasure at Sumter – Outside – (Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command) | Harper's Weekly, March 16, 1861, page 164. |
1861-03-16 |
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Embrasure at Sumter – Inside – (Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command) | Harper's Weekly, March 16, 1861, page 164. |
1861-03-16 |
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Major Anderson's Command at Fort Sumter – From a photograph taken in the fort. | Harper's Weekly, March 23, 1861, page [177]. |
1861-03-23 |
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Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina – (Drawn by an officer of Major Anderson's command) | Harper's Weekly, March 23, 1861, page 180. |
1861-03-23 |
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Interior of Fort Sumter during the Bombardment | Harper's Weekly, April 27, 1861, page 260. |
1861-04-27 |
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Map of Charleston Harbor, Showing Fort Sumter and the Confederate Batteries | Harper's Weekly, April 27, 1861, page 261. |
1861-04-27 |
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Bombardment of Fort Sumter by the Batteries of the Confederate States, April 13, 1861 | Harper's Weekly, [April 27, 1861], page 264-265. |
1861-04-27 |
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Floating Battery during the Attack on Fort Sumter | New York Illustrated News, April 27, 1861, page [385]. |
1861-04-27 |
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Major Anderson's Interview with Colonel Wigfall Through the Port Hole of Fort Sumter. | New York Illustrated News, April 27, 1861, page 388. |
1861-04-27 |
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Boat Carrying the Officers of General Beauregard to Arrange for the Surrender of Fort Sumter. | New York Illustrated News, April 27, 1861, page [385]. |
1861-04-27 |
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Major Anderson on the Ramparts of Fort Sumter, Looking Out for the Squadron of Relief Previous to the Attack. | New York Illustrated News, April 27, 1861, page 388. |
1861-04-27 |
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Attack Upon Fort Sumter by the Southern Rebels. Fort Moultrie in the Foreground. | New York Illustrated News, [April 27, 1861], page 392-393. |
1861-04-27 |
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House-tops in Charleston during the Bombardment of Sumter. [Showing women and men watching the bombardment; some are in various stages of grieving.] | Harper's Weekly, May 4, 1861, page 274. |
1861-05-04 |
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Heroes of Fort Sumter. | Harper's Weekly, May 4, 1861, page 284. |
1861-05-04 |
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Explosion of the Gun Whilst Saluting the U.S. Flag at Fort Sumter. From a sketch by B.S. Osborn, Special Correspondent of the "World." | New York Illustrated News, May 4, 1861, page 405. |
1861-05-04 |
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Interior of Fort Sumter after the Bombardment. Burial of the Soldier Killed by the Explosion of the Gun Whilst Saluting the United States Flag. From a sketch by B.S. Osborn, Special Correspondent of the "World." | New York Illustrated News, May 4, 1861, page 412. |
1861-05-04 |
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Fort Sumter Flag and Staff – Sketched on the Baltic. | New York Illustrated News, May 4, 1861, page 405. |
1861-05-04 |
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Arrival of the Baltic. Major Anderson Acknowledging the Cheers of the People Coming up the Bay. | New York Illustrated News, May 4, 1861, page 412. |
1861-05-04 |
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Battery or Park Promenade at Charleston, South Carolina, During the Bombardment of Fort Sumter – Sketched by our Special Artist. | Harper's Weekly, May 18, 1861, page 310. |
1861-05-18 |
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Rifled Cannon Which Did So Much Execution on Fort Sumter, Charleston, South Carolina – (From a sketch by our Special Artist) | Harper's Weekly, May 18, 1861, page 311. |
1861-05-18 |
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"Sumter" – A Rebel Ship of War – (Sketched by our Special Artist). | Harper's Weekly, June 22, 1861, pages 398. |
1861-06-22 |
Download a PDF of all the Fort Sumter images (41.7 MB).