Porter makes the comment “Powhatan could not have reached Charleston in time to be of any use”
I believe this statement is incorrect. Porter cleared New York harbor about 3 pm on April 6th. It is 630 nautical miles from New York to Charleston. Powhatan had 111 hours to cover 630 nautical miles to get in position by 6 am on the 11th. To make the voyage she would have to have steamed at a speed of about 6 knots. Powhatan’s top speed was 11 knots.
She could easily have been in place of the entrance to Charleston harbor to participate in that operation.
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She could easily have been in place of the entrance to Charleston harbor to participate in that operation.
If you read further into his accounts of the situation, he said they intended to rely on the small boats carried by the Powhatan, and that this wouldn't have worked anyways because none of the Powhatan's boats were usable. They were all in a terrible state of disrepair and would sink if put into the water.
He is justifying what he did. He is rationalizing, or perhaps seeking to divert attention from what he was ordered to do. Again, he never released a copy of Lincoln's secret orders to him.