No Turning Back

Fort Sumter, 2010

     One Hundred and Fifty years ago, artillery fire was exchanged at Fort Sumter, starting the Civil War. A US army Major had taken control of the Charleston, South Carolina fort and refused to leave when the new Confederate government told him to.  On April 12, 1861, the Confederacy attacked, which eventually lead to the surrender of the Fort. The first battle of the Civil War ended with a Confederate victory and no fatalities.

     That I know of, all of my ancestors were living in the South when the war broke out.  Many of those ancestors ended up fighting in the Confederate Army. Two ancestors died in service, as well a many uncles and cousins. I can't really know their personal thoughts on the war, but they did actively take part.

     I will be presenting profiles on many of my Civil War era ancestors in the coming months, highlighting all parts of their lives. Here's a list of my known Civil War soldier ancestors (I assume that there must be more that I have yet to prove):

• William A Craft (1840-1909)
• John F Powell (1846-1920)
• Wiley Powell (1819-1864) killed
• Thomas T Albea (1845-1905)
• Nathan W Hyler (1835-1903)
• Franklin E Leaphart (1834-1865) killed
• Richard T Smith (1829-1920)
• William W Sprouse (1840-1905)
• Elijah A Dorn (1827-1903)