The first shot

April 12, 1861. Charleston Harbor. The cannons opened fire—and America changed forever. In this episode of the Willie Jackerson Experiment, we head back to Fort Sumter and the explosive events that ignited the American Civil War. How did a standoff at a small fort in Charleston Harbor become the opening battle of a conflict that would tear the nation apart? Who fired first? Why was Fort Sumter so important? And what happened during those brutal 34 hours of bombardment? We're digging into Major Robert Anderson, General P.G.T. Beauregard, the Confederate bombardment, the Union surrender, and the chain of events that followed. And because this is the Willie Jackerson Experiment, we're not stopping at the history books. We're bringing the story to life with an original metal song inspired by Fort Sumter—blending Southern speed metal, melodic death metal, Appalachian banjo, blistering guitar work, and a whole lot of cannon-fire energy. 🤘🔥 One fort. One bombardment. One first shot. The Civil War had begun.