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Main article: Causes of the American Civil War
President James Buchanan, a popular Southern Democrat, was somewhat sympathetic to the Southern states. However, he declined to run for a second term in 1860, causing the Democrats to nominate another candidate. The Southerners, in a possibly fatal mistake, split from the party, nominating former Vice President John C. Breckinridge as their candidate. However, during the 1861 Presidential Election, Abraham Lincoln was elected by a majority of the voters. Most Southerners believed that he would suppress the South and destroy their core beliefs.This caused many Southern states, led by South Carolina, to secede, causing much tension in the Southern states. However, a few Union strongholds remained in the South, including Fort Monroe (near Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is a city in the U. state of Virginia in the United States of America. It is an independent city, and therefore part of no county. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 234,403. Norfolk is located on the Elizabeth River, on Ham), and Fort SumterFort Sumter located in Charleston, South Carolina harbor, was named after General Thomas Sumter. However, the fort is perhaps best known as the site where, according to tradition, the first shots of the United States Civil War were fired. In fact, Souther, near Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston is an American city located predominantly in Charleston County, South Carolina. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Town Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location in 1690, when it had a population of 1200 and was the fifth.
The 1st US Artillery , commanded by Major Robert AndersonMajor Robert Anderson was a Union officer in the American Civil War. He is notable for being the commanding officer of Fort Sumter in South Carolina at the time it was attacked by Confederate troops. The attack began the American Civil War., had been holed up in Fort Sumter for weeks, with little hope of being reinforced. President Lincoln had attempted to send relief ships, which had been fired upon and/or turned back (including the latest ship, U.S.S. Star of the West ). After repeated letters asking the Union garrisonThe term garrison is mainly used in a military sense. A garrison unit is a unit that is garrisoned somewhere, usually a city or something similar (however, it could be a military fort, or other areas). For example, the 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry (U. to surrender (after they had been forced out of the less defensible Fort MoultrieFort Moultrie is the name of a series of forts on Sullivans Island, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, built of palmetto logs, inspired the flag and motto (Palmetto State) of South Carolina. It was not yet complete an), Brigadier GeneralA Brigadier General or one-star general is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. The rank is equivalent to the US Navy rank Rear Admiral (lower half), for P.G.T. BeauregardPierre Gustave Toutant de Beauregard (BOH-rih-gahrd ( May 28, 1818 February 20, 1893), best known as a General for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War, was also a writer, civil servant, and inventor. Beauregard was born in New (South Carolina Militia) opened fire on the fort with his artillery. After about a day of bombardment , the Union garrison, which was overwhelmed, decided to surrender. They were safely transported back to Union territory, a decision made by Gen. Beauregard, with the only casualties occurring during a salute to the flag by a volley of artillery, when a cannon misfired.