“The clear truth is that the Confederates were never going to allow those ships to reinforce that fort.”
The clear truth is the Confederates STARTED THE WAR.
THEY SHOT FIRST!
Don't even believe what I told you. Look it up your f***ing self. Porter was either way out of control, or he was acting directly on Lincoln's orders. Since his orders were secret, and since they have never been revealed, it's a pretty safe bet Lincoln told him to deliberately start a war.
Stop believing the crap you've been told when it is clearly ontradicted by demonstrable facts.
Porter was a backup plan for starting that war. *LINCOLN* meant to have a war.