1861
Battle of Fort Sumter
The setting
Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, United States
Masonry coastal fort on an island in a harbor
Reveal the outcome
Recorded sideUnited States (Union)
Recorded resultdefeat (surrendered)
Confederate victory; Union garrison surrendered the fort
How the atlas explains it
Confederate batteries ringing the harbor could concentrate fire on the isolated, undermanned fort, which had no relief and limited ammunition, making surrender inevitable.
What followed
The opening engagement of the American Civil War; the Confederate bombardment and Union surrender triggered Lincoln's call for volunteers and the outbreak of full-scale war.