FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

The Battle of Fort Sumter Trivia Quiz

You may know Anderson and Beauregard, Moultrie and Pinckney, but how well do you know some of the details of this battle?

A multiple-choice quiz by DanielWebster2. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
DanielWebster2

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
334,956

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
337

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. On which date in 1860 did the state of South Carolina secede? Hint

December 30th

December 20th

December 27th

December 5th

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. President Buchanan was in communication with the governor of South Carolina, via Pettigrew. Who was this governor? Hint

Robert E. Lee

Francis Pickens

James Chesnut

Edwin Stanton

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. Who was second in command to Johnston Pettigrew? Hint

James Chesnut

Henry Farley

P. F. Stevens

Ellison Capers

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. On what date in 1860 did Beauregard have control of all the federal installations around Fort Sumter? Hint

January 9th

January 3rd

December 27th

December 30th

NEXT>

Question 5 of 15

5. This man took command of the cadets at the South Carolina Military Academy, and captured Morris Island. Hint

Abner Doubleday

Gustavus Fox

P. F. Stevens

Francis Pickens

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. This man, the "Captain of the Baltic", tried to bring supplies to the trapped Anderson. Who was he? Hint

James Chesnut

Gustavus Fox

Abner Doubleday

Ellison Capers

NEXT>

Question 7 of 15

7. Which of these ships did NOT try to relieve Anderson at Fort Sumter? Hint

Brooklyn

USS Lucius Lamar

Star of the West

Rhonda H. Shannon

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. This soon-to-be Secretary of War felt that the Union had to defend Sumter, and not just give it to the South Carolinians. Hint

Edwin Stanton

Andrew Johnson

William Seward

Simon Cameron

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. Who was second in command to Beauregard? Hint

Johnston Pettigrew

James Chesnut

Henry Farley

Louis Wigfall

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. On which date in 1861 did the bombardment of Fort Sumter start? Hint

April 14th

April 13th

April 11th

April 12th

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. Who fired the first shot of the Civil War? Hint

Henry Farley

P. F. Stevens

Abner Doubleday

James Chesnut

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. Who fired the first Union shot of the Civil War? Hint

Robert Anderson

Daniel Hough

Gustavus Fox

Abner Doubleday

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. Which two opposing forces of the battle were student and teacher? Hint

Beauregard was Anderson's teacher

Stevens was Doubleday's teacher

Doubleday was Stevens' teacher

Anderson was Beauregard's teacher

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. Who was the first fatality of the war? Hint

Louis Wigfall

Edward Gallway

Daniel Hough

Henry Farley

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. Who was the second fatality of the war? Hint

Edward Gallway

Louis Wigfall

Daniel Hough

Henry Farley

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. On which date in 1860 did the state of South Carolina secede?

Answer: December 20th

South Carolina finally decided to secede on December 20th, 1860. They weren't alone for long - by the time the fight for Charleston Harbor took place many other states had seceded as well.

2. President Buchanan was in communication with the governor of South Carolina, via Pettigrew. Who was this governor?

Answer: Francis Pickens

Pickens was determined to protect his state. He gave the orders to Beauregard to capture the surrounding forts.

3. Who was second in command to Johnston Pettigrew?

Answer: Ellison Capers

Capers attended the Citadel, and graduated there. He fought in the battles of Vicksburg and Chickamauga, to name a few.

4. On what date in 1860 did Beauregard have control of all the federal installations around Fort Sumter?

Answer: December 30th

Beauregard took control of Fort Moultrie, Castle Pinckney, and the Charleston Federal Arsenal. Stevens had control of Morris Island. This cornered Anderson into Fort Sumter.

5. This man took command of the cadets at the South Carolina Military Academy, and captured Morris Island.

Answer: P. F. Stevens

With command of Morris Island, he had a great vantage-point on Fort Sumter. Artillery placed on Cummings Point could easily fire onto the fort.

6. This man, the "Captain of the Baltic", tried to bring supplies to the trapped Anderson. Who was he?

Answer: Gustavus Fox

Fox was sent by President Lincoln. He was later appointed to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, until the end of the war.

7. Which of these ships did NOT try to relieve Anderson at Fort Sumter?

Answer: USS Lucius Lamar

None of these were able to help the Fort. Confederates had obstructed the ship's channel, and when ships would try to enter they were fired upon.

8. This soon-to-be Secretary of War felt that the Union had to defend Sumter, and not just give it to the South Carolinians.

Answer: Edwin Stanton

Cameron was the Secretary of War at this time, but was advised by Stanton. He soon resigned and Stanton took his spot.

9. Who was second in command to Beauregard?

Answer: James Chesnut

His wife, Mary Chesnut, would write her point of view on the war in her diary. It would later be found, published, and become one of the most famous diaries of the Civil War.

10. On which date in 1861 did the bombardment of Fort Sumter start?

Answer: April 12th

Confederate forces started their bombardment of the Fort at 4:30 AM. The battle lasted two days, until Anderson's final surrender on the 14th.

11. Who fired the first shot of the Civil War?

Answer: Henry Farley

Roger Pryor, a famous Virginian, was originally offered the honors of the first shot. He declined - he didn't want to be in the history books for that. The honors went to Lt. Farley.

12. Who fired the first Union shot of the Civil War?

Answer: Abner Doubleday

Doubleday was 2nd in command to Anderson. He fired the first shot from Fort Sumter at 7:00 AM.

13. Which two opposing forces of the battle were student and teacher?

Answer: Anderson was Beauregard's teacher

He had instructed Beauregard at West Point. At one point he actually became Anderson's assistant.

14. Who was the first fatality of the war?

Answer: Daniel Hough

The terms of Anderson's surrender included a 100 gun salute. Ironically, these shots are the ones that killed Pvt. Hough.

15. Who was the second fatality of the war?

Answer: Edward Gallway

The shots killed Pvt. Hough instantly, and fatally wounded Pvt. Gallway. He died in the Gibbs Hospital, in Charleston.

Source: Author DanielWebster2

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.