Editing Abner Doubleday (section)

===Early commands and Fort Sumter===
[[File:MAjor Robert Anderson and his officers Ft Sumpter South Carolina.jpg|thumb|Major Robert Anderson and his officers at [[Fort Sumter]], South Carolina]]

[[File:Abner Doubleday at Fort Sumter, SC IMG 4534.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Doubleday photo displayed at Fort Sumter National Monument in [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]] harbor]]
[[File:Fort Sumter Medal.JPG|thumb|200px|[[Fort Sumter]] Medal bearing the likeness of [[Robert Anderson (major)|Major Robert Anderson]] which was presented to Abner Doubleday]]
Doubleday initially served in coastal garrisons and then in the [[Mexican–American War]] from 1846 to 1848 and the [[Seminole Wars]] from 1856 to 1858. In 1858, he was transferred to [[Fort Moultrie]] in [[Charleston Harbor]] serving under Colonel [[John L. Gardner (brigadier general)|John L. Gardner]]. By the start of the Civil War, he was a [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]] and second in command in the garrison at [[Fort Sumter]], under [[Major (United States)|Major]] [[Robert Anderson (Union officer)|Robert Anderson]].<ref name=Beckenbaugh/> He aimed the cannon that fired the first return shot in answer to the [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] bombardment on April 12, 1861. He subsequently referred to himself as the "hero of Sumter" for this role.<ref name=Tagg/> Of note, although Doubleday did not invent baseball, by sheer coincidence the Fort Sumter Garrison Flag (or Storm Flag) has the star pattern arranged in a diamond shape, which by that time in history, was the shape of the baseball infield.