Introduction
Fort Sumter sparked the beginning of the Civil War when Jefferson Davis ordered the Confederate commander of Charleston to take control of Fort Sumter from the Union, or else they would be fired upon. Shortly before, President Lincoln had "notified the governor of South Carolina that supplies were being sent and that if the fleet were allowed to pass, only food and not men, arms or ammunition, would be landed" [1]. To allow the Union to hold property, according to Davis, would "destroy its [Confederacy] claim of independence" [1]. When the ultimatum was declined by Major Robert Anderson, commander of the federal garrison at Fort Sumter, Confederate batteries began firing upon the fort on April 12. Throughout the civil war, although John Bell Hood's aggressive military contributions proved him to be a competent leader, his aggressive nature slowly, but surely led to the downfall of the Confederacy.
[1] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg. 420.
