HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
White House, May 17, 1862 - 10.30 p. m.

(Received May 18,8 a. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

A combined naval and army expedition, under Captain Murray, U. S. Navy, with troops and artillery under Major Willard and Captain Ayres, of the Army, went some 25 miles up the Pamunkey to-day, and forced the rebels to destroy two steamers and some twenty schooners. The expedition was admirably managed, and all concerned deserve great credit.

We have advanced considerably to-day. The roads are now improving, and you may soon expect to hear of the whole army being on the Chickahominy. All goes well.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., May 17, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,

Headquarters Army of the Potomac:

There have been forwarded from Baltimore to West Point five locomotives, eighty cars, 3 miles in length of railroad iron, 30,000 feet, board measure, of timber, one dozen frogs, one dozen switch irons, 1,200 chairs, with full supply of rail spikes, the last of which, it is expected, will reach West Point on Monday.

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

OFF HARDIN'S BLUFF, JAMES RIVER, May 17, 1862.

G. V. FOX,

Assistant Secretary of the Navy:

The Secretary of the Navy directs me to inform you that the Port Royals has come down from vicinity of Richmond. When within 8 miles, just as the last turn in the river was made, found passage obstructed by two rows of sunken vessels, chains, and spiles, among them also Jamestown and Yorktown. Thursday morning a large battery on Ward's Bluff, 200 feet high, with two rows of guns, opened on vessels. Rifle pits along river filled with sharpshooters. Fight lasted four hours. Galena hit twenty-eight times and perforated eighteen times. Monitor struck three times; ininjured. Thirteen men killed and 11 wounded on board Galena. Lieutenant Morris, of Port Royal, injured in leg by rifle-ball. Two men on Naugatuck wounded. Galena and Monitor came down to City Point. Naugatuck came down with Port Royal. Her gun burst, injuring 1 man.

WM. FAXON,

Chief Clerk.

NEWPORT NEWS, May 18, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

We went yesterday to Jamestown. James River is cleared of land