The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Luce and His Empire examines in detail the events that exploded into the Civil War, under the eyes of festive picknickers who lined Charleston's shore to cheer the rebel gunners shelling the hated fort and its Federal defenders. First Blood is historical writing at its finest.

Chronicles the events leading up to the firing of the first shot of the Civil War on April 12, 1861.

In her diary, Mary Boykin Chesnut, the wife of a Confederate general and aid to president Jefferson Davis, James Chestnut, Jr., presents an eyewitness account of the Civil War.

"Jack was indeed a most unusual cat. His story will lead young readers back to a time when America was at war with itself. It was a time when all people were not treated as equal, and the question of whether the United States would stand as one nation had not been decided ... Beautiful color illustrations bring the story of life with historical accuracy, and children of all ages will delight in learning history through the eyes of Jack."--book jacket flyleaf.

A dramatic account of the two-week period in 1861 during which newly inaugurated president Lincoln attempted to prepare Union states for a possible Confederate attack draws on the period's headlines, intelligence reports, diaries, and letters to offer insight into the experiences of everyday citizens. Reprint.

Looks at the attack on Fort Sumter, discussing the divison between the north and the south, the soldiers who defended Fort Sumter, and the impact on the history of America.

"When the Civil War began, Fort Sumter was an unfinished building in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Over the next three years, this fort would become one of the most important symbols of the Civil War. Now open to the public as a national monument, visitors arrive at the fort by boat from Charleston. Walk over several acres and see many Civil War guns and cannonballs. National Park Service rangers are also on the island to give talks and demonstrations to bring the Civil War and other important facts of American history to life."--Back cover.

Contextualizing the events before and after the battle, The Battle of Fort Sumter provides the ideal supplement to any course on the American Civil War, American history, or American military history.