South Carolina in the American Civil War South Carolina in the American Civil War South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in December 1860, and was one of the founding member states of the Confederacy in February 1861. The bombardment of the beleaguered U.S. garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor on April 12, 1861 is generally recognized as the first military engagement of the war. South Carolina was a source of troops for the Confederate army, and as the war progressed, also for the Union, as thousands of ex-slaves flocked to join the Union. The state also provided uniforms, textiles, food, and
Rhode Island in the American Civil War D.C. in time to help repel Jubal Early's raid on the capital in the summer of 1864. William Rogers Taylor was Fleet Captain of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1863. He participated in attacks on the Confederate fortifications protecting Charleston, South Carolina. He then commanded the steam sloop "Juniata" during 1864-65 and took part in the operations that led to the capture of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Notes Further reading Rhode Island in the American Civil War The state of Rhode Island during the American Civil War remained loyal to the Union, as did the other states of New