JANUARY 28, 1863. -Skirmish near Collierville, Tenn.

Report of Colonel Albert L. Lee, Seventh Kansas Cavalry, commanding

SECOND Brigade, Cavalry DIVISION.

GERMANTOWN,

January 29, 1863.

Had a skirmish with 200 guerrillas south of Collierville, and killed about a dozen. Lost 1 man. All right on the road.

A. L. LEE,

Colonel, Commanding SECOND Brigade, Cavalry DIVISION.

General HAMILTON.

JANUARY 28-30, 1863. Scout from LA Grange, Tenn., toward Ripley, MISS.

Report of Major William D. Blackburn, Seventh Illinois Cavalry.

LA GRANGE, TENN.,

January 30, 1863.

SIR: In pursuance of orders, I sent Major Blackburn, in command of the effective force of this regiment, 112 men and officers, on the 28th instant, on scouting, for the purpose indicated in said order. Major Blackburn has just returned, and reports as follows:

COLONEL: In obedience to your order, I started on the morning of the 28th instant, with 103 men and 9 officers, and proceeded to Ripley, leaving Salem a little to the right, and calling on Captain Street, of guerrilla notoriety. Found no force at Ripley, except stragglers. Captured in Ripley Lieutenant-Colonel [L. B.] Hovis, of Seventh Mississippi Cavalry; Private Davis, of Seventh Mississippi Cavalry; Private Patten, of Twenty-seventh Mississippi Cavalry, and a private of Street's band; also recaptured Privates Henry [M.] Jenkins, Fred. Miller, James Cornelison, William Going, William Cornelison, J. H. Eaton, William D. Harris, S. A. Eaton, and Martin Smith, all of Company G, Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, who were captured at Tuscumbia Bridge, 6 miles south of Corinth, on the 27th instant; also captured a number of muskets, shot-guns, rifles,&c., which were destroyed as not worth carrying.

We patrolled the roads 4 miles south and east of Ripley. Found nothing but stragglers. Lost 1 man-taken prisoner, private Company E, while on that duty. Returned by the way of Saulsbury, and crossed the trail of 60 Southern cavalry within a mile of that place. They took the Holly Springs road, and gave out that they were Forrest's men. We were within three hours of them.

Got reliable information from Pontotoc on the 28th. Pinson's First Mississippi Cavalry was there, and Van Dorn, with his usual force, say 6,000, were then moving from near Grenada toward Verona, on the Mississippi and Ohio Railroad. They gave out that they were going north, and had ten days' rations.

All the conscripts of that region are being organized and sent to Savannah, on the Tennessee River, where they are said to be fortifying.

The roads, except near here and near Ripley, are good.

Respectfully,

EDWARD PRINCE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant WOODWARD,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigade, Cavalry DIVISION.