If you have tolerable confidence that you can successfully contend with the Merrimac without the help of the Galena and two accompanying gunboats, send the Galena and two gunboats up the James River at once. Please report your action on this to me at once. I shall be found either at General Wool's headquarters or on board the Miami.

Your obedient servant,

A. LINCOLN.

FORT MONROE, VA., May 7, 1862-midnight.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN:

Your dispatch received, and I am rejoiced at the success of your operations. An expedition under command of Captain Rodgers will, under express orders, be sent up the James River to-night, consisting of the Galena and two gunboats, for the purpose of

co-operating with you. They start as soon as pilots can be found. Is there anything else you want?

EDWIN M. STANTON.

FORT MONROE, May 7, 1862.

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War:

We have had no news of any operations of the army beyond Williamsburg to-day, and no details of the killed and wounded in the late engagement. You may telegraph McDowell to get his forces well in hand for movement, and push on his bridges to as rapid completion as possible. It is not yet perfectly clear what the movement of the force lately in Yorktown will be.

EDWIN M. STANTON.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, May 7, 1862.

Brigadier General GEORGE STONEMAN:

We have reason to believe that parties of the enemy's cavalry are in the woods to the right of the main road to Bigler's Mill; they yesterday took 2 or 3 of our men prisoners.

Please watch your right flank carefully.

General Keim will be ordered to send some infantry and cavalry from the point A toward the right to break up that position and endeavor to catch them. Troopers will be sent out from this vicinity for the same purpose.

[A. V. COLBURN,]

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.-It is too late now for General Keim to make that movement

to-day. Cavalry will be sent out from here on the road to Bigler's Mill.