MAY 24, 1862.-Expedition to Spring Hill, Mo.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander M. Woolfolk, First Missouri Cavalry (Militia).

CHILLICOTHE, MO., May 25, 1862.

MAJOR: On Saturday night, the 24th instant, I started from this place with Company G and a detachment from Company K on a scout, for the purpose of breaking up a band of jayhawkers in the vicinity of Spring Hill, Mo. The band is supposed to number some 60 or 70 men, and is reported to be under the leadership of the notorious Joe Kirk and Charles Cooper. They have hitherto defied all attempts of the military to arrest them, and have on one or two occasions fired on small parties of soldiers, having killed and wounded some 10 or 12 men in this manner.

We started from this place at 10 o'clock at night, while Companies A and B, Captains McGhee and Folmsbee, started from Breckenridge, Mo., at the same hour, and entered the Spring Hill country from the west. The detachment commanded by myself succeeded in capturing Joe Kirk, John Cooper, jr., and James Hall, while the detachment from Breckenridge, led by Adjutant Doyle, captured Charles Cooper. My detachment, it is believed, also wounded Dan. Hall, one of the band, who succeeded in escaping. We also captured three horses, supposed to be contraband, and took three navy revolves. The parties captured are supposed to be the leaders of the band, and it is hoped that this portion of Missouri will now have peace.

Each one of the parties captured has been in the rebel army, and has been in the habit of returning from the army, and has been in the habit of returning from the army at certain intervals only to be the terror of all loyal men. Charles Cooper, sr., was arrested at the commencement of the rebellion in Missouri, took the oath, and afterward joined the rebel army, being a captain in the Confederate service.

It is said that it can be proved that Joe Kirk was the leader of a party that fired into the cars, and also was seen with the band that fired upon and wounded some United States soldiers in the vicinity of Spring Hill last summer.

Several horses have recently been taken from Union men in the neighborhood of Spring Hill, and these parties are supposed to have taken them. Conservative men of all parties insist that these men should be retained in military custody during the continuation of the rebellion. We have taken them in custody at this place, and will dispose of them as you think proper.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALEX. M. WOOLFOLK,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Major JAMES RAINSFORD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MAY 25-28, 1862.-Operations about Miami and Waverly, Mo., and skirmish, May 26.

Report of Major Eliphalet Bredett, Seventh Missouri Cavalry.

CAMP POWELL,

Lexington, May 31, 1862.

SIR: Captain [Foster R.] Hawk, of Company K, was detached with his company for the purpose of co-operating with Captain Kyser and a portion