MAY 26-JUNE 4, 1863. -Expedition from Haynes' Bluff to Mechanicsburg, MISS., and skirmishes.

REPORTS.

Number 1. -Major General Frank P. Blair, Jr., U. S. Army, commanding expedition.

Number 2. -Brigadier General Nathan Kimball, U. S. Army, commanding DIVISION.

Number 3. -Captain James H. Greene, Eight Wisconsin Infantry.

Number 4. -Major General William W. Loring, C. S. Army, commanding DIVISION.

Number 5. -Brigadier General William H. Jackson, C. S. Army, commanding cavalry DIVISION.

Number 6. -Brigadier General John Adams, C. S. Army, commanding cavalry Brigade.

Number 1. Report of Major General Frank P. Blair, jr, u. S. Army, commanding expedition. Headquarters EXPEDITION, Mechanicsburg, May 29, 1863.

GENERAL; I am just in receipt of your communication of this date. I dispatched 10 cavalry with a dispatch to you last night and 2 this morning with the same intelligence, but as your couriers men both parities near Vicksburg it will not be necessary to repeat it Here. I found no enemy on my way Here of any consequence. My advance came up with about 400 pr 500 of the enemy at this place about 1. 30 p. m. today. They were driven back after a slight resistance, and have fled beyond the Big Black River. Colonel Johnson has scoured the country pretty thoroughly on both sides of the route and along the Big Black as far down as Cox's Ford, but finds only stragglers, who are all going over the river and concentrating at Canton, where Johnston is understood to be.

From all the intelligence I can obtain it appears that General Johnston is organizing an army at or near Canton, and I feel pretty well assured that no considerable force is on this side of the Big Black River. The route I have passed over contained but little or no forage or provisions, but such as there was I destroyed or seized.

I shall return to-morrow by a route which the bearer will name, and on which I will be free form any flank attack.

I shall seize everything on the road necessary for my troops and destroy the resider.

The enemy who met my advance to-day crossed the Big Black at Kibby's Ferry.

Respectfully,

FRANK. P. BLAIR, Jr.

Major-General commanding expedition.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Department of the Tennessee.

Headquarters EXPEDITION CORPS,

Camp at Donnegall's Bluff,

May 31, 1863.

GENERAL: I arrived Here this evening at 1 o'clock with the head of my column, by what is called the Valley road, from Sataria, on the Yazoo, to Haynes Bluff. I received your order to return Here just as I had commenced my march to this point on yesterday morning. The enemy followed us with perhaps 20 or 30 cavalry or mounted infantry, but the valley was so open and clear that they dared not ap