Civil War

This Week in the Civil War

00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.

This Week in the Civil War - 642

Texas Public Radio | By Texas Public Radio

Published August 23, 2013 at 4:07 PM CDT

On Sunday, August 23, 1863 Union General Q.A. Gillmore ended his week-long bombardment of Charlestown’s Confederate defenses and civilian population.

Over five thousand artillery shells had been fired against the city’s defenders; Fort Sumter’s entire garrison had but one functional piece of artillery left. Gillmore became one of the first generals to bombard a civilian center in the hope of achieving a military end. In truth, the shelling of Charleston only fueled the defenders’ hatred for their enemies.

Those citizens who remained in the city moved to areas out of range of the Federal guns, and the city's manufacturing and industrial work continued, with all maritime activity shifted up river. The stubborn Confederate defenders would resist the Union until February 1865, when the city finally fell to Federal forces.