Commander Andrew H. Foote to Gideon Welles, April 6, 1861 – 6 p.m.

Navy Yard, New York

6 P.M. Apr. 6/61

Sir:

By great exertions, highly commendable, Lieut. Roe overhauled the Powhatan and I send Lieut. Comd'g Porter's reasons as assigned, in the enclosed note, for proceeding with the ship.

I have the honor to be

Yr Obt. Servt,

A. H. Foote

Hon. Gideon Welles,

Sec'y of the Navy

Washington D.C.

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. 30