Timeline April 1861

Events in April 1861 2

• 1811 – 1861 Elisha Otis (1811-1861) Died 8 April 1861, aged 49 Elisha Otis, the American inventor who devised the safety elevator brake that made tall buildings practical, died in Yonkers, New York. His invention underpinned the later rise of skyscrapers. The company he founded continued to bear his name.
• 1861 Battle of Fort Sumter Opening battle of the American Civil War Confederate forces bombarded the Union-held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, forcing its surrender. The attack marked the start of the American Civil War. Lincoln responded by calling for volunteers to suppress the rebellion.