150 years ago today, Confederate soldiers fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, marking the start of a pivotal part of American history. Whatever the reasons the Civil War was fought on a national scale - the abolition of slavery, states' rights - or a personal scale - pride, loyalty, a way of life, money - those four years changed the face and future of the country. Between 600,000-700,000 soldiers were killed, affecting not only families of the time but those of us here today!
Here is a link to the Fort Sumter National Monument website for the anniversary:
http://www.nps.gov/fosu/parknews/civil-war-sesquicentennial.htm
Today I remember my Civil War veteran ancestor, Charles Haase, a German immigrant who left his wife and baby daughter to fight with the New Jersey Infantry 33rd regiment, company H - he mustered in at Trenton, New Jersey on 22 September 1864 and was discharged at Bladensburg, Maryland on June 1, 1865. I also remember all the other soldiers - those who made it home as well as those who did not, all their families, and all their descendants who keep their memories alive as family historians!
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