(See Civil War reenactment pictures.) The Battle of Fort Sumter As March turned to April, Lincoln, having dispatched another relief fleet to supply the beleaguered and increasingly hungry garrison ...

Most folks will tell you the Civil War began April 12, 1861, with the first shots fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston ... avoided initiating a battle. Meanwhile, warranted or not, South Carolina ...

Key Highlight: Fort Sumter is a must-see, especially for kids and history buffs. You probably remember Fort Sumter as the place where the first shot of the Civil War was fired back in 1861.