[#3Fan] You're saying he lied about his status? You've got to be kidding me. Even your post #536 called him a captain. You just trying to confuse the subject since he expected the sailors were to fight to bring provisions to shore.
Yeah, civilian Mr. Fox was yet another sleazoid whore in the Lincoln administration plying the trade of selling himself. In 18 years of active duty, he never rose above the rank of Lieutenant. At the time of the Sumter mission, he had no appointment in the Navy whatsoever.
In April 1861, this whore passed himself off as a Captain. He filed reports as a Captain. In 1861, the records show a real naval officer referred to him as "Captain" Fox.
In 1865, Fox was required to explain, to a somewhat hostile audience, the cluster foxtrot that was the Sumter mission. In 1865, the little sleazoid whore wrote:
The expedition organized for the purpose of taking supplies to Major Anderson's starving garrison in Fort Sumter in 1861 has been referred to in the hope of throwing ridicule upon it and upon me. It is incomprehensible how the attempt to relieve that heroic band on any plan could provoke a sneer; nor does the shaft strike me.
Having inspired disbelief in 1865, the memory of the little sleazoid whore improved.
[Mr. Aspinwall] applied to Mr. John Jacob Astor, jr., who very generously gave him a check for $3,000. With this he procured the tug Yankee and persuaded Commodore Breese, commandant of the New York navy yard, to arm and fit her out; and having received from that officer an appointment as acting lieutenant in the Navy, I left on the 26th for Hampton Roads, where I reported to Commodore Pendergrast, of the Cumberland.
Perhaps you believe that the sleazoid whore Fox was a Navy Captain who received an appointment as Acting Lieutenant in the Navy.
Commander Rowan of the USS Pawnee had reported in 1861:
At this time the Pocahontas came in, and her commander [nc - Commander Gillis], at my request, came on board this ship and joined our council. I related to him all the circumstances and what preparations we had made for the purpose of throwing provisions into the fort, and, delivering the copies of orders I had received, I placed myself under his order as senior officer present.
COMMANDER GILLIS of the USS Pocahontas was the SENIOR OFFICER PRESENT because "Captain" Fox was a civilian "Captain" of the civilian ship, Baltic, which had been hired privately for a month. Civilian "Captain" Fox was on the hired steamer Baltic, not a navy ship called the USS Baltic. "Captain" Fox had no military rank whatsoever.
This is the sleazoid whore speaking:
I immediately stood out to inform Captain Rowan, of the Pawnee, but met him coming in. He hailed me and asked for a pilot, declaring his intention of standing in to the harbor and sharing the fate of his brethren of the Army. I went on board and informed him that I would answer for it that the Government did not expect any such gallant sacrifice, having settled maturely upon the policy indicated in the instructions to Captain Mercer and myself.
This is real Navy Commander Gillis of the Pocahontas.
Had there been pilots for the channel on board, I would have proceeded up to the assistance of Sumter, or made the attempt to pass the long line of batteries, as the impulse was strong to render assistance to the gallant men in Sumter; but without pilots, the buoys and marks being removed, we would probably have grounded.
[nc - Note: They had NO PILOT to navigate the harbor.]
This is real Navy Commander Rowan of the Pawneee.
Captain Fox, of the transport Baltic, came on board and showed his instructions. He informed me that it was his intention to attempt to reach Fort Sumter in boats laden with provisions, and asked for such force as I could give him. I immediately gave the necessary order to have the launch and one of the cutters ready and armed for the purpose. In the meantime the Baltic and the Harriet Lane stood in toward the bar; soon, however, the Baltic came out again. On her return Captain Fox reported that the forts and batteries in Charleston were firing on Sumter.
Real Navy Commander Rowan of the Pawnee added:
Captain Fox left this ship intending to make the attempt to land the provisions early the next morning; made all preparations to protect him. The next morning he grounded on Rattlesnake Shoal, which delayed the expedition till the following night.
[nc - Commander Rowan, who referred to Fox as "Captain Fox" reported to Commander GILLIS as the Senior Officer Present, not "Captain Fox."
This is from the report of sleazoid whore Fox:
As it was the opinion of the officers that no boats with any load in them could have reached Sumter in this heavy sea, and no tugboats had arrived, it was proposed to capture a schooner near us loaded with ice, which was done, and preparations at once commenced to fit her out and load her for entering the harbor the following night.
The is real Navy Commander Rowan of the Pawneee.
Early the same morning a schooner passed close to us, and suspecting her to belong to Charleston and passing thus near us to see what we were doing, I brought her to anchor after firing three or four shots across her bows. She proved to be the -------, of Philadelphia, laden with ice. I at once determined to use her for the purpose of transferring both men and provisions, and after counseling with Captain Fox he coincided with me in the plan.
The is from the abstract log of the Pawnee, Real Navy Commander Rowan commanding.
April 14. -- From 4 to 8 a. m.: The steamboat Catawba came out of Charleston Harbor bearing a flag of truce, communicated with the U. S. S. Pocahontas, took a boat in tow and returned. When near the shore, she hoisted the Palmetto flag. The steamer Nashville ran in for the harbor and when near hoisted the Palmetto flag. A steamer in sight on the horizon bearing the so-called Confederate flag. From 8 a. m. to meridian : Appearances of great rejoicing in Charleston Harbor. Smoke still rising from Fort Sumter. At 1 p. m. observed the American flag flying over Fort Sumter. At 2 a salute of fifty guns was fired and the flag was then hauled down. At 4 p. m., the so called Confederate flag, similar to the one flying over Fort Moultrie during the attack on Major Anderson, was hoisted on Fort Sumter amid a general fire from all the forts and batteries. During the firing in honor of what is called the Confederate flag on Fort Sumter, took the bearings of the different batteries on Morris Island and Sullivan's Island, several of which had hitherto been unnoticed.North side Sullivan's Island:
Battery bearing N.
Battery bearing N. W. by N.
Battery bearing N. W.
Battery bearing N. W. 1/2 W. Cumming's Point, W. 1/2 S.
Fort Sumter, W. 3/4 N. Extreme front of Morris Island:
Battery bearing S. W. 1/2 W.
Battery bearing S. W. by W. 1/4 W.
Battery bearing S. W. by W. 1/2 W.
Battery bearing W. S. W. 1/2 W.
Battery bearing W. S. W.
At 7:30 p. m. came in collision with the Baltic, crushing the gig and doing other damage. The Baltic'sstern was also considerably damaged.
Report of the sleazoid whore Fox in 1861:
As I anticipated, the guns from Sumter dispersed their naval preparations excepting small guard boats, so that with the Powhatan a reenforcement would have been easy.
Real Navy Commander GILLIS, the SENIOR OFFFICER PRESENT, was the officer who went to Fort Sumter and reported this:
I left the Pocahontas in charge of Lieutenant Nicholson and proceeded to Fort Sumter to offer them in person. Found the fort a complete wreck, the fire not yet all extinguished. Its shattered battlements, its tottering walls, presented the appearance of an old ruin. Mentioning to Major Anderson the intention to throw supplies and men into the fort after dark, he replied that it was very providential the attempt had not been made, as it could not have been successfully executed on account of the many guns which could have been brought to bear by the batteries.
The sleazoid whore Fox reported in 1861:
The Government did not anticipate that the fort was so badly constructed as the event has shown.
In 1865, the sleazoid whore Fox reported the following:
We [nc - Fox and Confederate Captain Hartstene] reached Fort Sumter after dark and remained about two hours. Major Anderson seemed to think it was too late to relieve the fort by any other means than by landing an army on Morris Island. He agreed with General Scott that an entrance from the sea was impossible; but as we looked out upon the water from the parapet it seemed very feasible, more especially as we heard the oars of a boat near the fort, which the sentry hailed, but we could not see her through the darkness until she almost touched the landing. I found the garrison getting short of supplies, and it was agreed that I might report that the 15th of April at noon would be the period beyond which he could not hold the fort unless supplies were furnished. I made no arrangements with Major Anderson for reenforcing or supplying the fort, nor did I inform him of my plan.
Well, what do you know? Fleet Admiral/Field Marshal Fox himself went to Fort Sumter and made the assessment of the fort.
And what do you know? Fleet Admiral/Field Marshal Fox himself went to Fort Sumter and did NOT inform Major Anderson of his plan.
Well, what do you know? Fleet Admiral/Field Marshal Fox himself went to Fort Sumter and he is the source of the report that the fort could not hold beyond April 15, 1861 due to shortage of supplies, although official records prove that the fort was receiving food supplies from the Charleston merchant Mr. McSweeney until April 7, 1861.
Captain Rowan called him "Captain Fox", and if a contemporary called him "captain", that's good enough for me, surely he would know.