9th January 1861: Star of the West fired upon by South Carolina batteries as it approached Fort Sumter

As Star of the West approached Fort Sumter on the morning of 9 January it was met with cannon shots from cadet George E. Haynsworth on nearby Morris Island.

20th December 1860: South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the United States of America

Other states soon followed South Carolina’s lead, setting the stage for the American Civil War.