FORT MONROE, VA., August 16, 1862.

Honorable GIDEON WELLES,

Secretary of the Navy:

I have just come down the river. McClellan's army has moved rapidly and successfully, and by this afternoon will be across the Chickahominy. The gunboats cover his bridges at the mouth of it. I will ask you to give me instructions relative to my force. The Galena, Port Royal, and Satellite cover the rear of the Army near Haxall's. When the pickets of the army leave they will come to an anchorage under Gordon's Point, where I shall await your further orders. I have heretofore expressed my opinion of the practicability of reaching Richmond, if supported by the army on the north shore, and may do it without their aid. I shall have to be furnished with the torpedoes, &c., before moving upward, and hope to receive the views of the Department immediately on the subject. I shall necessarily be detained at this place over to-morrow, and hope to get an answer to this before leaving. The paper which Mr. Fox wished will be sent as soon as I can get possession of it. We are all well.

CHARLES WILKES,

Commodore.

Abstract from Consolidated Morning Report of the Third Army Corps, Army of Virginia, Major General Irvin McDowell commanding, for August 16, 1862.

Present for duty

Command Officers Men Present for

duty equipped

Staff 24 ..... 24

Signal Corps 8 14 .....

Pontoniers (3rd

Maine Battery) 5 127 132

Total 37 141 156

KING'S DIVISION

Staff 7 ..... 7

Hatch's brigade 147 2,328 2,475

Doubleday's

brigade 86 1,453 1,539

Patrick's brigade 130 2,446 2,576

Gibbon's brigade 124 2,611 2,735

Division

artillery 8 275 283

2nd New York

Cavalry 39 691 451

Total 541 9,804 10,066

RICKETTS'

DIVISION

Staff 6 ..... 6

Duryea's brigade 107 2,125 2,232

Tower's brigade 116 2,344 2,460

Hartsuff's

brigade 111 2,661 2,772

Carroll's brigade 94 1,488 1,582

Kane's Rifle

Battalion 9 182 191

Division

artillery

(Tillson's) 15 384 399

1st Maine Cavalry 24 468 492

Total 482 9,652 10,134

Bayard's Cavalry

Brigade 80 1,115 1,189

1st Rhode Island

Cavalry 35 531 566

Total 1,175 21,243 22,117

Command Aggregate Aggregate Pieces of

present present and field

absent artillery

Staff 24 24 .....

Signal Corps 22 24 .....

Pontoniers (3rd

Maine Battery) 140 146 .....

Total 189 194 .....

KING'S DIVISION

Staff 7 7 .....

Hatch's brigade 2,599 3,346 .....

Doubleday's

brigade 1,652 2,094 .....

Patrick's brigade 2,660 3,207 .....

Gibbon's brigade 2,845 3,522 .....

Division

artillery 300 319 12

2nd New York

Cavalry 757 870 .....

Total 10,820 13,365 12

RICKETTS'

DIVISION

Staff 6 6 .....

Duryea's brigade 2,371 3,131 .....

Tower's brigade 2,704 3,098 .....

Hartsuff's

brigade 2,926 3,487 .....

Carroll's brigade 1,739 2,793 .....

Kane's Rifle

Battalion 202 333 .....

Division

artillery

(Tillson's) 421 487 22

1st Maine Cavalry 531 701 .....

Total 10,900 14,036 22

Bayard's Cavalry

Brigade 1,253 1,613 .....

1st Rhode Island

Cavalry 606 780 .....

Total 23,765 29,988 34