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At dawn on August 17, 1863, Union naval units, supplemented with Union artillery batteries ashore commenced a heavy bombardment of the Confederate forts defending Charleston Harbor. The unprecedented shelling went on for five days. Fort Sumter came in for particular punishment and was largely reduced to a ruin. The other forts were heavily damaged but none were surrendered, despite Union threats to shell Charleston proper. (By John Osborne)
Source Citation
Frank Moore, ed., The Rebellion Record: A Diary of American Events, with Documents, Narratives, Illustrative Incidents, Poetry, Etc. (New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1864), VII: 42-43.
Record Data
Date Certainty
Exact
Type
Battles/Soldiers
