On this date 150 years ago, the Federal garrison at Fort Sumter was left with no option but to surrender to Confederate officers. This action was declared at 1430 hours. Major Robert Anderson, with no remaining food, and an insufficient number of men, concluded that further conflict was purposeless and that his troops had done their best under difficult conditions. No lives had been lost and the wounded were few on both sides, despite the firing of some 40,000 shells during the battle.

President Lincoln, not yet aware of the battle at Fort Sumter, stated that "I shall hold myself at liberty to repossess places like Fort Sumter if taken from Federal control."