I posted the evidence of this before. I thought it needed to brought up again. When Porter received his secret orders for Lincoln to take the USS Powhatan while at sea and secretly move her to Pensacola and start the war, he was determined to do just that. After he arrived at Pensacola he moved into the bay without communicating with the on scene commander. He was attempting to draw Confederate fire. Instead he drew the fire of the on scene commander. The next day, April 18th, several small vessels were seen approaching from the Confederate side with soldiers onboard, Porter fired upon them. This action reversed the boats back to the Confederate side. I believe Porter did not know Ft. Sumter had fallen or had been fired upon by the Confederates. He had only stopped at Key West before his arrival at Pensacola and they did not receive the news until April 22nd. The New Orleans and Mobile papers did not publish the news until the 19th or 20th.