A Sesquicentennial

"America has no north, no south, no east, no west. The sun rises over the hills and sets over the mountains, the compass just points up and down, and we can laugh now at the absurd notion of there being a north and a south. We are one and undivided." - Sam Watkins - 1st Tennessee
(quote obtained from the following website   http://www.carrothers.com/civwar.htm)

This year, 2011, marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. I'm having trouble conjuring up the words for this post. So much could be said. So much wants said, though its all been said over and over again for the past 150 years..


Thoughts of this time in our nations history are solemn. One hundred and fifty years. Do you realize what a small amount of time has passed? One hundred fifty years is a drop in the bucket!


I've always held a fascination with history of our Civil War. History in general really, but particularly this era. As I've matured, my historical interests have expanded to other periods, but the Civil War is always a few thoughts away when I'm in my historical frame of mind. Maybe its from growing up in the south, but I think
really that God just made me a history lover and in particular, gave me a special fondness for this part of our history.

Lots of the battlefield parks and sights will be hosting special events, displays, etc to honor the memory of this tragic part of our history, and the lessons our nation learned from it.  It would be a great year to tour some of these sights and I hope if you get the opportunity, you'll do so!


I did not set off to find a way to commemorate the anniversary. I was just looking for a new quilt for my bed and wanted to make it myself, not just buy it. In the past couple of years a few fabric designers have been coming out with popular fabric lines featuring reproduction prints from the Civil War era, and there are a few quilt kits that use these fabrics. I ran across one that caught my eye when I was flipping through a catalog and promptly ordered it.

My new quilt will feature a block every month. Its a "block of the month" club quilt. Each month I receive the fabric and instructions to piece part of the quilt, using the civil war fabrics. Each square commemorates a battle or event that took place during the war. I've decided to go ahead and expand my project by blogging about it also. Provided I'm able to get each months block finished, I plan to do a monthly post, sharing a picture of that months block, and telling a bit about the event that the block is honoring.

The first month's block:

The first months quilt square is the "spinning hour glass." The kit is calling it "Shots Fired at  Fort Sumter."

Fort Sumter: The First Battle

April 12-14, 1861

 

Fort Sumter stood in Charleston Harbor, outside Charleston, SC. Even after South Carolina seceded from the union (South Carolina was the first to do so) the fort remained in Union hands and was staffed by Union troops. The Confederate government commanded Gen.PGT Beauregard to demand the evacuation of the fort, and to force the evacuation if refused. The commanding Union officer, Maj. Robert Anderson, promised to evacuate by noon on April 15 unless he recieved order to do otherwise, or more supplies. The answer was not acceptable to the Confederacy. On April 12 at 4:30 in the morning, Confederate guns began a bombardment of the fort that would lead to the bloodiest war in American history.

 

 

Firing continued throughout the day and night, both sides sending shells flying at each other, though the Union troops in the fort were short on ammunition and so were rationing their shots. Confederate cannon shots set fire to the barracks in the fort, but even amid the heat and smoke of the flames, the Union troops continued to send off the occasional shot, compelling applause and cheers from the Confederate troops out of admiration for the Union boys determination.

 

 

On April 14, 1961, after 33 hours of bombardment, Fort Sumter was surrendered. There were no casualties on either side and only minor injuries. The Union troops were allowed to leave the fort with honor, even given permission to raise their flag for a 100 gun salute before leaving. Upon their return to the north, they were greeted as heroes.

 

 

It was a minor battle in scale. It was a monumental battle in history. It was the beginning of four long years of civil war.