Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1.

[308] authorities, and regarding the affair more as a naval than as a military operation, he at once sent for Mr. Fox, and verbally authorized him

March 29.

to fit out an expedition for the relief of Sumter, according to that gentleman's plan. The written order for that service was not given until the afternoon of the 4th of April, when the President informed Fox that, in order that “faith as to Sumter” might be kept, he should send a messenger at once to Charleston, to inform Governor Pickens that he was about to forward provisions, only, to the garrison, and that if these supplies should be allowed to enter, no more troops would be sent there. This was done. Colonel Lamon (afterward marshal of the District of Columbia) was sent as a special messenger to Governor Pickens, who was also informed that supplies must go into Sumter peaceably, if possible, if not, by force, as the Governor might choose.

Mr. Fox arrived in the city of New York the second time, on his important errand, on the evening of the 5th of April, and delivered to Colonel H. L. Scott, of the staff of the General-in-Chief, a copy of his instructions. That officer ridiculed the idea of relieving Sumter,.and stood as an obstacle in the way as far as possible. The plan was highly approved by Commodores Stewart and Stringham; and, as Mr. Fox's orders were imperative, he performed his duty in spite of all official detentions, and with that professional

Gustavus Vasa Fox.

skill, untiring industry, and indomitable energy which, as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he displayed throughout the entire war that ensued, he fitted out the expedition (having made some previous preparations) within the space of forty-eight hours. He sailed on the morning of the 9th, with two hundred recruits, in the steamer Baltic, Captain Fletcher.--The entire relief squadron consisted of that vessel, the United States ships Powhatan, Pawnee, Pocahontas, and Harriet Lane, and the tugs Yankee, Uncle Ben, and Freeborn; and all of them were ordered to rendezvous off Charleston.¹ The frigate Powhatan bore the senior naval officer of the expedition, and men sufficient to man the boats for the relief party.

Soon after leaving New York, the expedition encountered a heavy storm. One of the tugs (the Freeborn) was driven back; a second (Uncle Ben) put into Wilmington, North Carolina, and was captured by the insurgents there; and the third, losing her smoke-stack, was not able to reach Charleston bar until it was too late. The Powhatan² was also lost to the expedition.