Battle of Gloucester Point (1861) Battle of Gloucester Point (1861) The Battle of Gloucester Point, Virginia was an inconclusive exchange of cannon fire between a shore battery on the York River which was manned by Virginia (soon to be Confederate) forces and the Union gunboat USS "Yankee". The action occurred on May 7, 1861, three weeks after the start of the American Civil War (Civil War) at Fort Sumter in the harbor at Charleston, South Carolina on April 14, 1861. The Gloucester Point engagement is notable as the earliest exchange of gunfire between the Union Navy and organized Rebel (Confederate) forces after the U.S. Army
Fort Sumter National Monument at 11:00 am and 2:30 pm, based on staff availability. The center offers an orientation film and museum exhibits about American seacoast defenses from 1809-1947, and the history of the first two forts. There is an information desk staffed by NPS Rangers, a book / souvenir store and bathrooms. Charleston Light is not open to the public but can be viewed from its surroundings grounds, which also allow beach access. Fort Sumter National Monument Fort Sumter National Monument is a United States National Monument located in Charleston County, in coastal South Carolina. It mainly protects Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, the