Mill Springs, KY

[Battle of Mill Spring, Ky. Jan 19th 1862 - Courtesy of Wikipedia]

Date(s): January 19, 1862

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Offensive in Eastern Kentucky [1862]

Battles in Campaign:

• Middle Creek, KY - January 10, 1862 C¹

• Mill Springs, KY - January 19, 1862 B

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Brig. Gen. George H. Thomas

• Confederate: Maj. Gen. George B. Crittenden

Principal Forces:

• Union: 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, and Brig. Gen. A. Schoepf’s Brigade (total of four brigades)

• Confederate: Division of two brigades

Description:

• Although Brig. Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer’s main responsibility was to guard Cumberland Gap, in November 1861 he advanced west into Kentucky to strengthen control in the area around Somerset.

• He found a strong defensive position at Mill Springs and decided to make it his winter quarters.

• He fortified the area, especially both sides of the Cumberland River.

• Union Brig. Gen. George Thomas received orders to drive the Rebels across the Cumberland River and break up Maj. Gen. George B. Crittenden’s army. He left Lebanon and slowly marched through rain-soaked country, arriving at Logan’s Crossroads on January 17, where he waited for Brig. Gen. A. Schoepf’s troops from Somerset to join him.

• Maj. Gen. George Crittenden, Zollicoffer’s superior, had arrived at Mill Springs and taken command of the Confederate troops. He knew that Thomas was in the vicinity and decided that his best defense was to attack the Yankees.

• The Rebels attacked Thomas at Logan’s Crossroads at dawn on January 19. Unbeknownst to the Confederates, some of Schoepf’s troops had arrived and reinforced the Union force.

• Initially, the Rebel attack forced the first unit it hit to retire, but stiff resistance followed and Zollicoffer was killed.

• The Rebels made another attack but were repulsed. Union counterattacks on the Confederate right and left were successful, forcing them from the field in a retreat that ended in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

• Mill Springs, along with Middle Creek, broke whatever Confederate strength there was in eastern Kentucky.

• Confederate fortunes did not rise again until summer when Gen. Braxton Bragg launched his offensive into Kentucky.

• Mill Springs was the larger of the two Union Kentucky victories in January 1862. With these victories, the Federals carried the war into Middle Tennessee in February.

Photo Gallery:²

Mill Springs National Cemetery	Description of Mill Springs National Cemetery	The Bivouac of the Dead	Graves of Union soldiers killed at the Battle of Mill Springs
Grave marker of Samuel Parker (see information on cemetery description slide)	"A Hard March"
Zollicoffer Confederate Cemetery	Memorial Flame		Marker where General Zollicoffer was killed
Mistaken Identity - A Deadly Error	The "Zollie Tree"	Descrption of "The Zollie Tree"	Map of Battlefield Loop Trail
A Scene of Battle		Description of General George H. Thomas
Fix Bayonets - Charge!		Mass grave for Confederate dead at Mill Springs	Names of Confederates in mass grave
"The Dawn of Battle"	The Union Advance	Confederate Artillery
	Symbolic grave markers for Confederate soldiers buried in mass grave		Last Stand Hill
			Confederate Field Hospital
"Poor Charlie"	Site of Confederate field hospital	Site of Confederate field hospital	Timmy's Branch - Union Cavalry Picket Line
Timmy's Branch			Moulden's Hill - Union Artillery Position
"Moulden's Hill"		Beech Grove - Confederate Camp	Zollie's Den
	Outline of earthen works forts
Winter Quarters		Fortifications at Beech Grove	The white PVC pipe indicates where artificacts where found. Many of the items found are in the Mill Springs Battlefield visitor center.
Ferry Landing	Noble Ellis - Sternwheeler that Saved an Army"

The Mill Springs Battlefield Association has produced a new DVD on the battle that can be obtained for $25 (plus $2 for Shipping and handling).

Classification³: B

Casualties⁴:

• Union: 232

• Confederate: 439

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Websites: 

• Battle of Mill Springs - Wikipedia

• Mill Springs Battlefield Association

• The Battle of Mill Springs: The Civil War Divides a Border State - National Park Service

• Mill Springs, Kentucky - Civil War Preservation Trust

• The Battle of Mill Spring - Son-of-the- South

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

³ Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

⁴ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 08/27/2009