Union General Robert Anderson
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Historical Marker #534 in Louisville notes the birthplace of Robert Anderson, the commander of Ft. Sumter and the "first Union hero of [the] Civil War."
Born in 1805 at "Soldiers Retreat" in Jefferson County, Anderson was a West Point graduate and Mexican War veteran. In November 1860, immediately before the Civil War, Anderson took command of Federal troops in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
Five months later, South Carolina demanded that Anderson surrender Ft. Sumter, one of the Charleston Harbor strongholds. Anderson refused, and then withstood a thirty-four hour bombardment before surrendering. Anderson's stand made him a hero in the North, and Lincoln promoted him to brigadier general.
Anderson returned to Kentucky, where he became military commander of the state. However, poor health forced him to relinquish the post after only a few months.
In April 1865, although he had retired from active service, Anderson returned to Ft. Sumter and raised the United States' flag over the battered bastion. Therefore, this Kentuckian's actions signified both the beginning and the end of the Civil War.
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Union General Robert Anderson
General Robert Anderson was a Kentucky native and the Union "hero of Ft. Sumter." Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Civil War Patriotic Envelope
This Civil War patriotic envelope depicts military heroes Generals Winfield Scott and Robert Anderson. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Major Anderson's Command at Fort Sumter
This image of Major Robert Anderson and his staff at Fort Sumter appeared on the cover of Harper's Weekly Magazine in March 1861. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Fort Anderson
Fort Anderson at Paducah, Kentucky, was built in 1861 and named for Robert Anderson. Courtesy of the Kentucky Historical Society.
Lincoln to Anderson, September 16, 1861
This letter from Abraham Lincoln placed Robert Anderson in command of Kentucky when the state ended its neutrality stance. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Bombardment of Fort Sumter
Major Robert Anderson was in command of the United States forces at Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor when Confederates bombarded the fort on April 12, 1861. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Fort Sumter - April 14, 1865
Robert Anderson returned to Fort Sumter on April 14, 1865 for a ceremony to raise the flag he had lowered four years before when the fort surrendered. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.