I wanted to take a moment between getting a bit of work done for
a class and finishing up some work in my class to remind you all
the significance of today in our history. It was 150 years ago,
in the early morning of April 12, 1861, that the Civil War
commenced with the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC
by forces of the Confederacy. While the argument can be made
that the first shot in the war was the firing on The Star of the
West, the attack on Sumter was the point at which the nation
fell off the precipice towards war. Thus begins the four-year
period of reflection, remembrance, and research on the war for
its 150th anniversary. Later this week, I will write from scenic
Illinois, as I will be flying home to present a paper at the
Illinois State History Symposium in Carbondale on Thursday. Have
a great evening and keep researching.