[PeaRidge]

“What I know for certain are Lincoln's orders to all his mission ship commanders, including Fox in SS Baltic and commanders of Powhattan, Pocohantas, Pawnee and Harriet Lane, because they were later published in the New York Times.”

So, next time I say I know something is certain because of a newspaper article reporting something after the fact...well you are just going to have to accept it.

What you report is a communication from the Secretary of the Navy to a commander that was instructed to turn over authority to another man under different orders. It says nothing about Fox. You made that up.

Lincoln's documented direct orders to the mission commander Fox was for reinforcement.

April 4, 1861 To: Lieut. Col. H.L. Scott, Aide de Camp This will be handed to you by Captain G.V. Fox, an ex-officer of the Navy. He is charged by authority here, with the command of an expedition (under cover of certain ships of war) whose object is, to reinforce Fort Sumter.

If you want to continue to argue with the Official Records, have at it.

[BroJoeK]

PeaBrain: "What you report is a communication from the Secretary of the Navy to a commander that was instructed to turn over authority to another man under different orders.
It says nothing about Fox. You made that up.
Lincoln's documented direct orders to the mission commander Fox was for reinforcement."

Lincoln's final orders to both Fox and all ship captains, dated April 6 and issued through Secretaries Cameron & Wells, said the same thing Lincoln told SC Governor Pickens: resupply-only, if not resisted.

You can read them yourself at the link above.