Navy Department
April 5th, 1861.
Captain Samuel Mercer
Com'dg. U.S.S. Powhatan, New York.
The United States steamers “Powhatan,” “Pawnee,” “Pocahontas,”
and "Harriet Lane" will compose a naval force under your command to
be sent to the vicinity of Charleston S. C. for the purpose of aiding in carrying
out the objects of an expedition of which the War Department has charge.
The primary object of the expedition is to provision Fort
Sumter, for which purpose the War Department will furnish the necessary
transports. Should the authorities of Charleston permit the Fort to be
supplied, no further particular service will be required of the force under
your command; and after being satisfied that supplies have been received at the
Fort, the “Powhatan,” “Pocahontas” and “Harriet Lane” will return to New York
and the “Pawnee” to Washington.
Should the authorities at Charleston, However, refuse to
permit or attempt to prevent the vessel or vessels having supplies on board
from entering the harbor, or from peaceably proceeding to Fort Sumter, you will
protect the transports or boats of the expedition in the object of their
mission, disposing of your force in such manner as to open the way for their
ingress and afford, so far as practicable, security to the men and boats, and
repelling by force, if necessary, all obstructions toward provisioning the Fort
and reinforcing it; for in case of a resistance to the peaceable primary object
of the expedition a reenforcement of the garrison will also be attempted. These
purposes will be under the supervision of the War Department, which has charge
of the expedition. The expedition has been intrusted to Captain G. V. Fox, with
whom you will put yourself in communication and cooperate with him to
accomplish and carry into effect its object.
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 11th inst., 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 circumstances
should prevent.
I am, resp'y, your
ob't servt.
Gideon Welles
Secretary of the Navy.
Captain Mercer took this order with him when he turned over
the command to Lieut. Porter. He sent no copy to the next senior officer of the
Sumter expedition. [Note by G. V. F]
SOURCE: Robert Means Thompson & Richard Wainwright,
Editors, Publications of the Naval Historical Society, Volume 9: Confidential
Correspondence of Gustavus Vasa Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1861-1865,
Volume 1, p. 23-5
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