Second Battle of Fort Sumter - Federals Launch Massive Bombardment and Naval Attack on Fort Sumter

Description: Federal batteries erected on Morris Island opened fire on August 17 and continued their bombardment of Fort Sumter and the Charleston defenses until August 23.

Despite a severe pounding, Fort Sumter’s garrison held out. Siege operations continued against Fort Wagner on Morris Island.

The Second Battle of Fort Sumter was fought on September 9, 1863, in Charleston Harbor. Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, who had commanded the defenses of Charleston and captured Fort Sumter in the first battle of the war, was in overall command of the defenders. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Quincy Gillmore attempted to retake the fort at the mouth of the harbor. Union gunners pummeled the fort from their batteries on Morris Island. After a severe bombing of the fort, Beauregard suspecting an attack replaced the artillerymen and all but one of the fort's guns with 320 infantrymen, who repulsed the naval landing party. Gillmore had reduced Fort Sumter to a pile of rubble but the Confederate Flag still waved over the ruins.