"They stopped the papers on the night of our arrival, 16th, and of the next mail they allowed, I understand, only two letters to come off to the squadron, both from Southern States. They informed the garrison that Fort Sumter had surrendered without bloodshed; that General Scott had resigned; that Virginia had seceded; that Pennsylvania troops passing through Baltimore to the defense of Washington had been robbed of 8,000 stand of arms, & c., "
The Baltimore reference occured on the 19th, the New Orleans Papers published it on the 20th, so we now know that most probably the knowledge of Fort Sumters evacuation did not arrive to the Porter until sometime on the 19th or 20th.
David