Fort Sumter National Monument Army was formed. This site is also the main departure point for tour boats heading to Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, which is only accessible by boat. Park rangers and volunteers offer topical programs throughout the week for every boat. The museum at Fort Sumter itself focuses on the activities at the fort, including its construction and role during the American Civil War. The Fort Moultrie Visitor Center is located at 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island across from the fort itself. There is a self-guiding brochure available and interpretive wayside exhibits posted throughout the fort. Guided tours are offered daily
Fort Jay 1861 as it entered Charleston Harbor. The incident provoked a crisis, prompting other southern states began to more seriously consider secession from the Union. The second effort, with new Army recruits departing from Fort Columbus on April 9, 1861, also failed when it prompted South Carolina forces to fire on Fort Sumter early in the morning of April 12, 1861, resulting in the start of the Civil War. In the early years of the Civil War, the north barracks were used to hold Confederate officers taken as prisoners of war pending transfer to other Union prisons such as Camp Johnson