MAY 26-31, 1863.- Expedition from Corinth, Miss., to Florence, Ala., and skirmishes (28th) at Florence and (29th and 30th) at Hamburg Landing, Tenn.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1.- Colonel Florence M. Cornyn, Tenth Missouri Cavalry, commanding expedition.

Numbers 2.- Captain Eagleton Carmichael, Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry.

Numbers 1. Report of Colonel Florence M. Cornyn, Tenth Missouri Cavalry, commanding expedition.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE,
Corinth, Miss., June 2, 1863.

GENERAL: In pursuance of instructions received from you, the brigade which I have the honor to command, consisting of the Tenth Missouri Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel W. D. Bowen; Seventh Kansas Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel T. P. Herrick, and the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, Captain E. Carmichael, with the Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, mounted, Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Phillips, attached, started upon an expedition toward Florence, Ala.

Leaving Corinth at 10 a. m. on Tuesday, the 26th ultimo, we reached Hamburg, on the Tennessee River, at about 6 o'clock the same evening, and immediately commenced crossing the stream by means of the gunboats Fanny Baker and Covington, and, working the entire night, this was accomplished at about 1 o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday, the 27th.

At Hamburg, Lieutenant De Ford, of colonel Hurst's (First West Tennessee) cavalry, reported to me for duty, and during the entire expedition rendered me such service as to entitle him to my warmest thanks and highest praise. He executed orders of the highest importance with great coolness and courage.

After the final crossing of the river, I directed Captain Carmichael, with his command, to proceed toward Waynesborough, in a northwardly direction, to divert the enemy's attention, while I, with the main body, moved eastwardly toward Florence. Captain Carmichael performed his part admirably, and deserves much praise for it. I respectfully refer you to a copy of his report, which I forward with this.

With the exception of a short halt at about 12 o'clock, we marched the whole of that night, and just after daylight we began to strike scouting parties of the rebels, driving them before us. We reached Rawhide at about 9 o'clock, and from this point I sent out to the north and left of the main road two squadrons of the Seventh Kansas, under the guidance of Lieutenant De Ford, to destroy the grist-mills and cotton and woolen factories in that neighborhood, which, I am happy to say, was effectually executed. From this point we began to meet more and more of the enemy, until within about 2 miles of Florence, when we came full upon his pickets and drove them in.

To prevent the surprise of my flanks, I had previously ordered flankers out to the right and left, and when I found I was close to the enemy in force, I dismounted two squadrons of the Seventh Kansas, armed with the revolving rifle, and deployed them to the right and left in the woods, which flanked the road on both sides, as skirmishers. These had considerable skirmishing with the enemy until within about 800 yards of the town, when he planted two pieces of artillery in a field just at its