Fort Sumter, South Carolina, is a maritime fortress constructed of high walls and heavy masonry in Charleston Harbor.

The fortress was Major Anderson, a general loyal to the United States.

But he was worried at this moment.

South Carolina declared independence, and militias occupied almost all fortresses and forts in the state, and Fort Sumter was a very rare fortress that was still in the hands of the United States.

The fortress is surrounded by the sea, with a wall of 5 feet thick and 60 artillery pieces. It was originally an indestructible fortress, but Major Anderson lacked confidence at this time.

There were only 85 soldiers who followed him to retreat to the fortress and swore allegiance to the United States, and they could not even operate the artillery.

He had not only had such a few people under him. After South Carolina's independence, these soldiers turned to their hometowns and were unwilling to be enemies with their hometowns.

So he had only 85 men left in South Carolina, trapped in the fortresses on the sea. As for South Carolina on land, it had changed its flag.

The flag of the United States was lowered and the state flag of South Carolina was raised.

"I didn't expect that the state legislators would betray the country. This is absolutely unacceptable behavior!"

Major Anderson stood on the high wall of Fort Sumter and looked at the South Carolina militia on the coast with his telescope. The flags they held were not the star-stripe flags that symbolized the 33 states of the United States, but the state flags of South Carolina.

In his opinion, South Carolina was a betrayal of the state.

"Major, the supply of the fortress can only last for 40 days. The surrounding coast has been besieged by hundreds of South Carolina soldiers, and if they attack with all their might, we will be completely unable to defend it. Should we surrender to South Carolina?"

The 85 soldiers trapped in Fort Sumter were full of disconfidence in defending the fortress.

They were like a lonely army located in the south. The only hope was to send ships to transport supplies and supplies to them in the north.

Major Anderson shook his head: "You can't surrender, at least you must stick to it until the materials are exhausted, otherwise you will indulge South Carolina and make them even more arrogant."

"But Major, Fort Sumter was built to protect the coast. It was deployed with flat-fired coastal defense artillery and also used armor-piercing bombs. The threat to the shore was limited, and our number was too small..."

"We have to keep here!"

On the coast, Southern Army General Boregard led 500 South Carolina soldiers to deploy artillery positions, targeting Fort Sumter in the middle of the port.

An artillery officer said to Boregard: "Sir, 43 artillery pieces and are in place, and you can start shelling Fort Sumter with just one order."

Boregaard inspected 43 artillery guns, many of which were printed with Chinese characters. He stroked his cold cannon body with his hands and sighed: "It is worthy of being a field cannon purchased from the Ming Empire, it is simply a handicraft."

An assistant said: "It is said that the Ming Empire has secretly and generously sold hundreds of artillery to states in the past few years. This artillery costs at least $1,000."

"They have mature craftsmanship, and the profit may be several times the cost. The Ming Empire must have made great profits from it." He turned to three assistants and said, "You three took a boat to Fort Sumter to persuade Major Anderson to surrender immediately, otherwise we will launch an offensive against Fort Sumter. After all, he was my teacher at West Point Military Academy. If he could solve the problem in a relatively peaceful and decent way, it would be worth the teacher and student."

Three Southern Army officers approached Fort Sumter in a boat.

Major Anderson refused without hesitation when he heard their purpose: "Boregard was my excellent student. He graduated second place in West Point that year. He never thought that one day we would become enemies. But I would not leave Fort Sumter easily unless I really couldn't hold on here."

"Then Major Anderson, you will be attacked by our artillery."

After Major Anderson refused, 43 artillery fired high-explosive bombs at Fort Sumter, and the roaring cannon sounded throughout Charleston Harbor.

Many civilians living in Charleston Harbor watched the Southern Army's shelling of Fort Sumter, and the enthusiastic South Carolina civilians shouted in the crowd: "For freedom!"

"Free!" People in South Carolina did not know that this catastrophe did not end so easily. The shelling of Fort Sumter was only the first battle in the Civil War, and some of them or their relatives and friends would die because of the upcoming catastrophe.

They are now firmly on the side of state lawmakers, full of prejudice against the United States, which attempts to undermine the cotton economy.

Everyone thought that the war would end soon and that they would become independent from the United States.

The shelling of Fort Sumter continued until the next day. After artillery troops in South Carolina fired more than 4,000 shells, Major Anderson of Fort Sumter saw many walls collapse, so he had to renegotiate with Boregard.

On the third day of the shelling, Major Anderson announced his surrender. He voluntarily gave up Fort Sumter, but asked all the defenders to take a boat to New York.

"I hope the battle at Fort Sumter is the first and last war in our North and South Federation. We will not fight again. South Carolina just wants to develop according to its own ideas." Boregaard took off his hat and said to the former West Point teacher.

"No, we will not fight each other, because I am old and cannot serve the United States anymore. But the United States will never allow the southern states to be independent, and South Carolina will fail." Major Anderson still firmly stands his position when he saw his former students joining the Southern Army.

"Teacher, don't you consider joining the Southern Army? Your hometown of Kentucky has declared neutrality, and they must be dissatisfied with the United States." Boregaard tried to persuade Major Anderson to join the Southern Army.

"An incomplete United States is like a flawed vase. I cannot stand a huge United States being divided. Only a country with vast territory can become a real power." Anderson said unswervingly.

"Maybe we have our own pursuits. The southern states rely on cotton. If we sacrifice the southern states in exchange for the interests of the United States, as a Louisiana, I cannot accept it. The southern states will form new countries and I think we can still become powerful countries." Boregaard said.

"Then we will meet again if we are destined."

The elderly Major Anderson sighed and boarded the ship to New York State with 85 soldiers.
Chapter completed!