U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for April 12

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Apr 12, 2011, 12:01 ET

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, APRIL 12: CIVIL WAR BEGINS

Profile America -- Tuesday, April 12th. On this date 150 years ago, the bloodiest chapter in American history began when Confederate troops under the command of General P.T. Beauregard fired on Fort Sumpter in the harbor at Charleston, South Carolina. The shelling began four years of civil war, pitting troops of the 11 Confederate states against those of the Union army. An estimated 3 million men served on both sides. By the time fighting largely ended in April 1865, an estimated 620,000 soldiers had died in battle or of other causes. By comparison, in World War II, when the U.S. had 16 million in uniform, 400,000 died in combat or of other causes. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 217

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2006, t. 504

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau