The Economic Times

In 1861, seven Southern states seceded, Lincoln had taken office and Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor set the stage for the deadliest war in American history

In April 1861, the United States reached a critical juncture as several southern states withdrew from the Union. The firing on Fort Sumter marked the start of the Civil War, prompting President Lincoln to urgently summon volunteers to quell the uprising. As four additional states joined the Confederacy, the war's scope widened significantly.