The
first soldier's death in the Civil War was just as remarkable. The Confederates shelled Fort Sumter for more than thirty hours. Major Robert Anderson agreed to surrender after General P.G.T. Beauregard promised to honor the US flag and guarantee Anderson and his men safe passage back to Federal territory. Not one man on either side had been killed. Then, when giving a 100-gun salute as the US flag was lowered, some ammunition exploded, killing private Daniel Hough and mortally wounding private Edward Gallway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Sumter