TheorderinterferingwiththeNavyDepartmentwasdesignedtocheckmatethetitularheadofthedepartment。Furthermore，SewardhadhadtheamazingcoolnesstoassumethatLincolnwouldcertainlyaccepthisThoughtsandthatthesimplePresidentneednothereinafterbeconsultedaboutdetails。HeaimedtocircumventWellesandtomakesurethattheSumterexpedition，whethersailingorderswereissuedornot，shouldberenderedinnocuous。ThewarshipPowhatan，whichwasbeinggotreadyforseaattheBrooklynNavyYard，wasintendedbyWellesfortheSumterexpedition。OneofthoseunreaddespatchessignedbyLincoln，assignedittothePickensexpedition。WhenthesailingordersfromWelleswerereceived，thecommanderoftheSumterfleetclaimedthePowhatan。ThePickenscommanderrefusedtogiveitup。ThelattertelegraphedSewardthathisexpeditionwas“beingretardedandembarrassed“by“conflicting“ordersfromWelles。TheresultwasastormyconferencebetweenSewardandWelleswhichwasadjournedtotheWhiteHouseandbecameaconferencewithLincoln。Andthenthewholestorycameout。Lincolnplayedthescapegoat，“tookthewholeblameuponhimself，saiditwascarelessness，heedlessnessonhispart；heoughttohavebeenmorecarefulandattentive。“Butheinsistedonimmediatecorrectionofhiserror，ontherestorationofthePowhatantotheSumterfleet。Sewardstruggledhardforhisplan。Lincolnwasinflexible。AsSewardhaddirectedthepreparationofthePickensexpedition，LincolnrequiredhimtotelegraphtoBrooklynthechangeinorders。Seward，beatenbyhisenemyWelles，wasdeeplychagrined。Inhisagitationheforgottobeformal，forgotthatthepreviousorderhadgoneoutinthePresident’sname，andwiredcurtly，“GiveupthePowhatan。
Seward。“
ThisdespatchwasreceivedjustasthePickensexpeditionwassailing。ThecommanderofthePowhatanhadnowbeforehim，threeorders。Naturally，heheldthattheonesignedbythePresidenttookprecedenceovertheothers。Hewentonhisway，withhisgreatwarship，toFlorida。TheSumterexpeditionsailedwithoutanypowerfulshipofwar。Inthisstrangefashion，chanceexecutedSeward’sdesign。
LincolnhadpreviouslyinformedtheGovernorofSouthCarolinathatduenoticewouldbegiven，shouldhedecidetorelieveSumter。Wordwasnowsentthat“anattemptwillbemadetosupplyFortSumterwithprovisionsonly；andthatifsuchattemptbenotresisted，noefforttothrowinmen，armsorammunitionwillbemadewithoutfurthernotice，orincaseofanattackuponthefort。“[25]Thoughthefleetwasnotintendedtoofferbattle，itwassupposedtobestrongenoughtoforceitswayintotheharbor，shouldthereliefofSumterbeopposed。ButthepowertodosowaswhollyconditionedonthepresenceinitsmidstofthePowhatan。AndthePowhatanwasfarouttoseaonitswaytoFlorida。
AndnowitwastheturnoftheConfederategovernmenttoconfrontacrisis。It，nolessthanWashington，hadpassedthroughaperiodofdisillusion。Theassumptionuponwhichitschiefpoliticianshadbuiltsoconfidentlyhadcollapsed。TheSouthwasnotreallyaunit。ItwasnottruethatthesecessionofanyoneState，onanysortofissue，wouldcompelautomaticallythesecessionofalltheSouthernStates。NorthCarolinahadexplodedthisillusion。Virginiahadexplodedit。