WASHINGTON, January 24, 1865.

Commander W. A. PARKER,

Senior Naval Officer, James River:

You have sent no reports to the Department. What force have you at the front? Where is the Spuyten Duyvil torpedo-boat? Have the enemy's boats come down so you can attack them? Put yourself in communication with Lieutenant-General Grant and act accordingly, reporting to this Department direct daily.

GIDEON WELLES,

Secretary.

WASHINGTON, January 24, 1865.

Commander WILLIAM A. PARKER,

Commanding James River Division, North Atlantic Squadron:

You are hereby detached from the command of the James River Division, and you will immediately transfer to the next officer in rank your command, and proceed to Hampton Roads and report to the Department by telegraph.

GIDEON WELLES,

Secretary of the Navy.

U. S. MONITOR ONONDAGA,

Aiken's Landing James River, Va.,

January 24, 1865 -11.30 p. m. (Sent 7 a. m. 25th.)

Honorable GIDEON WELLES,

Secretary of the Navy:

SIR: Your telegrams of 7.40 and 10 p. m. are received, detaching me from the command of the James River Division.. The force at the front is as follows; Onondaga, Massasoit, and Hunchback, and torpedo-boat Spuyten Duyvil, torpedo-launch Numbers 4 and two tugs, Commodore Morris (at Turkey Bend), Eutaw (at Deep Bottom), Daylight (at New Market road), Miami (at City Point), Dawn (at Harrison's Bar), and General Putnam and Commodore Barney (at the Appomattox River). We attacked the enemy's gun-boats to day and drove them back, two iron-clads and Howlett's Battery. I shall proceed to Hampton Roads to-morrow morning.

WM. A. PARKER,

Commander.

CITY POINT, VA., January 24, 1865.

Captain PARKER:

(Care General Gibbon.)

What fleet have you collected or ordered to the front? You ought to have every gun-boat you can get in the river up with you. Should the enemy attempt to come down the river, it is your duty, in view of the large amount of stores here, to attack with all the vessels you have, using your vessels as rams as well as batteries, even at the expense of half the boats you have got. I will send vessels up the river under an engineer officer, who will place them in position for sinking to obstruct the channel.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.