NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., January 31, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Headquarters Armies of the United States, City Point, Va.:

SIR: The Department has received your letter of the 24th instant, calling attention to the rebel ram building in Roanoke River, and suggesting measures to provide against disaster from it, and has transmitted a copy of it to Rear-Admiral Porter.

Very respectfully, &c.,

GIDEON WELLES,

Secretary of Navy.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 31, 1865-3.40 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

City Point:

The order placing Pope in general command in the West, and putting Kansas under General Dodge, has just been issued and telegraphed to General Pope. The Legislature of Kansas has passed resolutions asking that more troops be sent to that State. They will be sent to you by mail. Troops from the West arrive slowly. General Meagher's division is ordered to embark at Annapolis. It will be slow works, as the transports must be coaled and provisioned by lighters. The weather is rapidly moderating, and an effort will be made to-morrow to make a channel for the transports at Alexandria.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

CITY POINT, VA., January 31, 1865.

Major-General HALLECK,

Washington:

Please inform me when General Schofield will leave Washington. I want to send his instructions to Fort Monroe by a staff officer to deliver them as the general passes.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 31, 1865-8.30 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

City Point:

General Schofield will leave with first detachment form Alexandria. We shall attempt to open passage tom-morrow. Will telegraph in time to have dispatches reach Shofield at Fort Monroe.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES, January 31, 1865.

Major-General PARKE:

What is the result of last instructions from Washington on the three commissioners? Is there any unusual stir in their line?

E. O. C. ORD,
Major-General.