Thursday, April 14th, 2011 11:18:19

Leadership Lessons from the Civil War

The Civil War started 150 years ago this week, threatening to tear our country apart. In the end the Union prevailed. In today’s turbulent times, the lessons from the Civil War are still applicable.

In April 1861, Confederate Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard began the war by firing upon the Union troops at Fort Sumter in Charleston, S.C.

President Abraham Lincoln had been informed the day after his inauguration in early March that the fort would fall without supplies. He ordered restocking and reinforcements, rather than have his troops flee.

After two days of being bombarded by artillery, the Union troops surrendered on April 14. There were no casualties prior to the surrender, but a Union soldier was killed while firing a salute as the Union troops were leaving.