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You will leave New-York with the Powhatan in time to be off Charleston bar, ten miles distant from and due east of the lighthouse, on the morning of the eleventh instant, there to await the arrival of the transport or transports with troops and stores.
The Pawnee and Pocahontas will be ordered to join you there at the time mentioned, and also the Harriet Lane, which latter vessel has been placed under the control of this department for this service.
On the termination of the expedition, whether it be peaceable or otherwise, the several vessels under your command will return to the respective ports, as above directed, unless some unforeseen circumstance should prevent.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
Navy Department, April 5, 1861.
Commander J. P. Gillis, Commanding United States Steamer Pocahontas, Norfolk, Va.:
sir: You will proceed to sea with the Pocahontas, and on the morning of the eleventh instant, appear off Charleston bar, ten miles distant from and due east of the lighthouse, where you will report to Captain Samuel Mercer, of the Powhatan, for special service.
Should he not be there, you will await his arrival.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Commander J. P. Gillis, Commanding United States Steamer Pocahontas, Norfolk, Va.:
Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
Navy Department, April 5, 1861.
Commander S. C. Rowan, Commanding United States Steamer Pawnee, Norfolk, Va:
sir: After the Pawnee shall have been provisioned at Norfolk, you will proceed with her to sea, and on the morning of the eleventh instant, appear off Charleston bar, ten miles distant from and due east of the lighthouse, where you will report to Captain Samuel Mercer, of the Powhatan, for special service.
Should he not be there, you will await his arrival.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Commander S. C. Rowan, Commanding United States Steamer Pawnee, Norfolk, Va:
Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
Navy Department, April 5, 1861.
Captain Faunce, Commander of United States Revenue Steamer Harriet Lane, New-York:
sir: The revenue steamer Harriet Lane having been temporarily placed under the orders of this department, you will proceed with her from New-York in time to appear off Charleston bar, ten miles distant from and due east of the lighthouse, on the morning of the eleventh instant, where you will report to Captain Samuel Mercer, of the Powhatan, for special service.
Should he not be there, you will await his arrival.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain Faunce, Commander of United States Revenue Steamer Harriet Lane, New-York:
Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
sir: The Harriet Lane, under your command, having been detached from the collection-district of New-York, and assigned to duty under the Navy Department, you are hereby instructed to proceed to within ten miles due east from and off Charleston lighthouse, where you will report to Captain Mercer, of the Powhatan, for duty, on the morning of the eleventh instant; and should he not be there, you will wait a reasonable time for his arrival.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
my dear sir: I sincerely regret that the failure of the late attempt to provision Fort Sumter should be the source of any annoyance to you.
The practicability of your plan was not, in fact, brought to a test.
By reason of a gale well known in advance to be possible, and not improbable, the tugs, an essential part of the plan, never reached the ground, while, by an accident, for which you were in no wise responsible, and possibly I, to some extent, was, you were deprived of a war vessel, with her men, which you deemed of great importance to the enterprise.
I most cheerfully and truly declare that the failure of the undertaking has not lowered you a particle, while the qualities you developed in the effort have greatly heightened you in my estimation.
For a daring and dangerous enterprise of a similar character, you would, to-day, be the man, of all my acquaintances, whom I would select.
You and I both anticipated that the cause of the country would be advanced by making the attempt to provision Fort Sumter, even if it should fail; and it is no small consolation now to feel that our anticipation is justified by the result.
Very truly your friend,
Telegram.
Washington, D. C., April 1, 1861. Received at Brooklyn 4.10 P. M.
To Commodore S. L. Breese, Navy — Yard:
The department revokes its orders for the detachment of the officers of the Powhatan and the transfer and discharge of her crew.
Hold her in readiness for sea service. To Commodore S. L. Breese, Navy — Yard:
Gideon Welles, Secretary Navy.
Telegram.
Washington, D. C., April 1, 1861. Received at Brooklyn 6.50 P. M.
To the Commandant of the Navy — Yard:
Fit out the Powhatan to go to sea at the earliest possible moment, under sealed orders.
Orders by a confidential messenger go forward to-morrow. To the Commandant of the Navy — Yard:
Telegram.
Fit out Powhatan to go to sea at the earliest possible moment.
Gideon Welles, Secretary Navy.
Navy-yard, New-York, April 2, 1861.
sir: I send you a copy of a telegram which I sent from the telegraph office at half-past 8 o'clock