produce a copy of Lincoln’s order to fire on Confederate forces at Charleston.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., April 4, 1861.Lieutenant Colonel HENRY L. SCOTT, A. D. C., New York:
SIR: This letter will be landed to you by Captain G. V. Fox, ex-officer of the Navy, and a gentleman of high standing, as well as possessed of extraordinary nautical ability. He is charged by high authority here with the command of an expedition, under cover of certain ships of war, whose object is to re-enforce Fort Sumter.
To embark with Captain Fox you will cause a detachment of recruits, say about two hundred, to be immediately organized at Fort Columbus, with a competent number of officers, arms, ammunition, and subsistence. A large surplus of the latter-indeed, as great as the vessels of the expedition can take-with other necessaries, will be needed for the augmented garrison of Fort Sumter.
The subsistence and other supplies should be assorted like those which were provided by you and Captain Ward of the Navy for a former expedition. Consult Captain Fox and Major Eaton on the subject, and give all necessary orders in my name to fit out the expedition, except that the hiring of vessels will be left to others.
Some fuel must be shipped. Oil, artillery implements, fuses, cordage, slow-march, mechanical levers, and gins, &c., should also be put on board.
Consult, also, if necessary, confidentially, Colonel Tompkins and Major Thornton.
Respectfully, yours,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
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NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 5, 1861.Captain SAMUEL MERCER,
Commanding U. S. S. Powhatan, New York:
SIR: The United States steamers Powhatan, Pocahontas, and Harriet Lane will compose a naval force, under your command, to be sent to the vicinity of Charleston, S. C., for the purpose of aiding in carrying out the objects of an expedition of which the War Department has charge.
The primary object of the expedition is to provision Fort Sumter, for which purpose the War Department will furnish the necessary transports. Should the authorities at Charleston permit the fort to be supplied, no further particular service will be required of the force under your command, and after being satisfied that supplies have been received at the fort, the Powhatan, Pocahontas, and Harriet Lane will return to New York, and the Pawnee to Washington.
Should the authorities at Charleston, however, refuse to permit or attempt to prevent the vessel or vessels having supplies on board from entering the harbor, or from peaceably proceeding to Fort Sumter, you will protect the transports or boats of the expedition in the object of their mission-disposing of your force in such manner as to open the way for their ingress and afford, so far as practicable, security to the men and boats, and repelling by force, if necessary, all obstructions towards provisioning the fort and re-enforcing it; for in case of resistance to the peaceable primary object of the expedition a re-enforcement of the garrison will also be attempted. These purposes will be under the supervision of the War Department, which has charge of the expedition. The expedition has been intrusted to Captain G. V. Fox, with whom you will put yourself in communication, and co-operate with him to accomplish and carry into effect its object.
You will leave New York with the Powhatan in time to be off Charleston Bar, ten miles distant from and due east of the light-house, on the morning of the 11th instant, there to await the arrival of the transport or transports with troops and stores. The Pawnee and Pocahontas will be ordered to join you there at the time mentioned, and also the Harriet Lane, which latter vessel has been placed under the control of this Department for this service.
On the termination of the expedition, whether it be peaceable or otherwise, the several vessels under your command will return to the respective ports, as above directed, unless some unforeseen circumstance should prevent.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy.
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, New York, April 6, 1861.Lieutenant CHARLES R. WOODS,
Ninth Infantry, Act. Supt. East. Dept., R. S., Fort Columbus, N. Y.:
SIR: The General-in-Chief desires that two hundred recruits from Fort Columbus be at once organized into two companies, and held in readiness for embarkation on Monday next, the 8th instant. A proper proportion of non-commissioned officers will be included in the detachment, which must be fully supplied with arms, ammunition, and subsistence.
First Lieutenant Edward McK. Hudson, Fourth Artillery, First Lieutenant R. O. Tyler, Third Artillery, and Second Lieutenant C. W. Thomas, First Infantry, are assigned to duty with the recruits.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. L. SCOTT,
Lieutenant-Colonel and A. D. C., Act. Adjt. General
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, New York, April 8, 1861.First Lieutenant EDWARD McK. HUDSON,
Fourth Artillery, Commanding U. S. troops on the steamer Baltic:
SIR: I am instructed by the General-in-Chief to say to you that the destination of the two hundred recruits embarked on the steamer Baltic is Fort Sumter, and that "Captain G. V. Fox, ex-officer of the Navy, and a gentleman-of high standing, as well as possessed of extraordinary nautical ability, has been charged by high authority in Washington with the command of the expedition, under cover of certain ships of war."
You will accordingly be governed by the instructions of Captain Fox.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. L. SCOTT,
Lieutenant-Colonel and A. D. C., Act. Adjt. General
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WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 4, 1861.Captain G. V. FOX, Washington, D. C.:
SIR: It having been decided to succor Fort Sumter you have been selected for this important duty. Accordingly you will take charge of the transports in New York having the troops and supplies on board to the entrance of Charleston Harbor, and endeavor, in the first instance, to deliver the subsistence. If you are opposed in this you are directed to report the fact to the senior naval officer of the harbor, who will be instructed by the Secretary of the Navy to use his entire force to open a passage, when you will, if possible, effect an entrance and place both troops and supplies in Fort Sumter.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary of War.