Abraham Lincoln : a history : the full and authorized record of his private life and public career . inevitable, I am ready at alltimes to carry out whatever orders I may receive fromthe Honorable the Secretary of the Navy. Deeply mortifying as was this action of CaptainAdams in so urgent a contingency, there was suchearnest sincerity in the tone of his letter, suchconscientious technical obedience to his by thistime antiquated instructions, such a manly offer tocarry out any new orders of the Government com-ing through direct and regular channels, as to dis-arm all reproach. But mere chagrin
Abraham Lincoln : a history : the full and authorized record of his private life and public career . inevitable, I am ready at alltimes to carry out whatever orders I may receive fromthe Honorable the Secretary of the Navy. Deeply mortifying as was this action of CaptainAdams in so urgent a contingency, there was suchearnest sincerity in the tone of his letter, suchconscientious technical obedience to his by thistime antiquated instructions, such a manly offer tocarry out any new orders of the Government com-ing through direct and regular channels, as to dis-arm all reproach. But mere chagrin was swallowedup in the sense of the new perils created by thiscondition of affairs so tardily revealed. Since FortPickens was still exposed to capture the Sumter ex-pedition was doubly important. Meanwhile everynerve must be strained to get proper orders toPensacola before Bragg should obtain informationof it. As the result of a few hurried inquiries, ayoung naval officer, then comparatively unknown,but afterwards of brilliant renown, Lieutenant , was summoned before Secretary FORT PICKENS REENFORCED 9 He was told to prepare for a difficult, perhaps dan- chap. i. gerous journey, in the few hours to elapse before the next train started southward from the capital. Mr. Welles gave him a brief and unsealed written ^Slly^ order which Worden committed to memory before ^^p/gl^^^ reaching Richmond, and then destroyed the writ- R^waik- ing to insure absolute secrecy. He took the cars W R Vol at Washington on the morning of April 7. i, p. 462. * The notes of alarm from Washington and NewYork had put the Montgomery authorities on thealert. But their ignorance of where the threatenedblow might fall confused and paralyzed their prep-arations to ward it off. Sumter was their first care,Pickens next. On April 3 the rebel Secretary of cooper toWar inquired of Bragg whether he had made any in preparations to attack. Braggs reply i, p. the 5th sa
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