WASHINGTON CITY, December 5, 1864.

To the Senate and House of Representatives: 

In conformity to the law of July 16, 1862, I most cordially recommend that Lieutenant William B. Cushing, United States Navy, receive a vote of thanks from Congress for his important, gallant, and perilous achievement in destroying the rebel ironclad steamer Albemarle on the night of the 27th of October, 1864, at Plymouth, N.C.

The destruction of so formidable a vessel, which had resisted the continued attacks of a number of our vessels on former occasions, is an important event touching our future naval and military operations, and would reflect honor on any officer, and redounds to the credit of this young officer and the few brave comrades who assisted in this successful and daring undertaking.

This recommendation is specially made in order to comply with the requirements of the ninth section of the aforesaid act, which is in the following words, namely: 

That any line officer of the Navy or Marine Corps may be advanced one grade if upon recommendation of the President by name he receives the thanks of Congress for highly distinguished conduct in conflict with the enemy or for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

WASHINGTON CITY, December 5, 1864.

To the Senate of the United States: 

By virtue of the authority contained in the sixth section of the act of 21st April, 1864, which enacts “that any officer in the naval service, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may be advanced not exceeding thirty numbers in his own grade for distinguished conduct in battle or extraordinary heroism,” I recommend Commander William H. Macomb, United States Navy, for advancement in his grade ten numbers, to take rank next after Commander William Ronckendorff, for distinguished conduct in the capture of the town of Plymouth, N.C., with its batteries, ordnance stores, etc., on the 31st October, 1864, by a portion of the naval division under his command.  The affair was executed in a most creditable manner.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

WASHINGTON CITY, December 5, 1864.

To the Senate of the United States: 

By virtue of the authority contained in the sixth section of the act of 21st April, 1864, which enacts “that any officer in the naval service, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may be advanced not exceeding thirty numbers in his own grade for distinguished conduct in battle or extraordinary heroism,” I recommend Lieutenant-Commander James S. Thornton, United States Navy, the executive officer of the United States steamer Kearsarge, for advancement in his grade ten numbers, to take rank next after lieutenant-Commander William D. Whiting, for his good conduct and faithful discharge of his duties in the brilliant action with the rebel steamer Alabama, which led to the destruction of that vessel on the 19th June, 1864.