He ran the Naval Ordnance Works at New Orleans which also served as a laboratory, principally manufacturing shot and shells, gun carriages for outfitting ships in the Confederate Navy.
In March or April 1862, before the city's capture in the Battle of New Orleans, he removed the ordnance and laboratory stores to Atlanta.
McCorkle wrote to his supervisor, Catesby ap Roger Jones, on June 8: I am moving the boilers and engines to-day.
In November, he was still at work building a foundry and other temporary structures, but was not at that time actually producing ordnance.
Tucker accepted and went to Peru with Captain David Porter McCorkle and Commander Walter Raleigh Butt.