Fort Sumter, located in Charleston Bay, South Carolina, was first occupied by the Union. This fort was considered to be owned by the United States Government . The commander of the fort, Major Robert Anderson, was loyal to the Confederacy which posed a large threat to the stability of the fort for the Union. This was the battle that ignited the flame that was the Civil War. The battle began on April 12th, 1861. The fort was running low on supplies and a ship was coming to help the fort with supplies. When the ship first entered the bay the tension between the North and South showed its self with a small attack. The Citadel Battery and Fort Moultrie fired at the ship. The damaged ship turned away into the open ocean. The battle did not last long and was soon surrendered by the Major Anderson. The fort was taken by the Confederation on April 13th, 1861. The Confederate army controlled the fort until the end of the war. The fort was not destroyed in the battle but it was badly damaged. Five-hundred confederate soldiers where involved with the battle and the after math. Eighty Union soldiers where involved in the attack. The Union soldiers where at the fort at the time of the attack. No one was killed in this battle. The Battle of Fort Sumter was a battle that changed the course of history for the United States.