KENTUCKY. 



405 



your property, and? those Northern invaders of your 

 soil will soon be driven across the Ohio. 



This force encamped at Mill Spring, for- 

 tifying their position, in which Gen. Zollicoffer 

 remained until the 19th of January, when he 

 was killed, and his army routed by a strong 

 force under Gen. Thomas, at the battle of 

 "Webb's Cross Roads or Mill Spring. 



The small Federal force in Eastern Kentucky 

 was under the command of Gen. Nelson, a 

 Lieutenant in the Navy, who had been detach- 

 ed from his naval duties and sent to Kentucky, 

 of which State he was a native, and well known 

 to her citizens. Being furnished with arms by 

 the Federal Government, he collected and 

 organized a force in the eastern part of the 

 State, near Virginia. With these he advanced, 

 and on the 2d of November occupied Preston- 

 burg without any resistance. The enemy fell 

 back about six miles. At this place he issued 

 the following proclamation, on the 5th of 

 November : 



Having this day occupied the town of Preston- 

 burg with the force under my command, I declare to 

 all whom it may concern : That the jurisdiction of the 

 State of Kentucky is restored in this section of the 

 State, and that the regular fall terms of the courts 

 will be held in those counties in which the time for 

 holding the same has not passed. And all civil offi- 

 cers are ordered to attend at the times and places of 

 holding said courts, and attend to the duties of their 

 respective offices. 



His next movement was on Pikeville, near 

 which a Confederate force under Gen. Williams 

 had taken position. Pikeville is the capital of 

 Pike County, on the west fork of the Big Sandy 

 River. On the forenoon of the 7th, he despatch- 

 ed a force, under Col. Sill, of one regiment of 

 infantry with a light battalion of three compa- 

 nies, and two companies of Kentucky volunteers 

 mounted from the teams, and a section of artil- 

 lery, to march by the way of John's Creek, and 

 pass to the left of Pikeville, where was the 

 Confederate position-i-a distance of about forty 

 miles and turn or cut them off. On the 8th, 

 at 5 A. M., Gen. Nelson moved forward with 

 three Ohio regiments, a battalion of Kentucky 

 volunteers, and two sections of artillery, and 

 took the State road direct to Pikeville. distant 

 twenty-eight miles. Eight miles from Preston- 

 burg they met a picket of about forty cavalry, 

 which escaped. At one P. M., the cavalry had 

 advanced along the narrow defile of the moun- 

 tain that ends at Ivy Creek. This mountain is 

 the highest along the river, very precipitous, 

 and thickly covered with brush and under- 

 growth, and the road, which is but seven feet 

 wide, is cut along the side of it, about twenty- 

 five feet above the river, which is close under 

 the road. The ridge descends in a rapid curve 

 and very sharp to the creek, or rather gorge, 

 where it makes a complete elbow. Behind this 

 ridge, and along the mountain side, the enemy, 

 seven hundred strong, lay in ambush, and did 

 not fire until the head of the Kentucky battalion, 

 Col. C. A. Marshall, was up to the elbow. Four 

 were instantly killed and thirteen wounded, and 



the Kentuckians were ordered to charge. Col. 

 Harris led his Second Ohio regiment up the 

 mountain side with much gallantry, and deployed 

 them along its face. Col. Norton, who had 

 just reached the defile, led his Twenty-first 

 Ohio regiment up the northern ridge of the 

 mountain, deployed them along the creek, and 

 made an attack. Two pieces of artillery were 

 got in position on the road, and opened on the 

 enemy. In an hour and twenty minutes the 

 Confederate force dispersed and fled, leaving a 

 number killed and wounded, of whom thirty 

 were found dead on the field. The Federal 

 loss was six killed and twenty-four wounded. 

 In their retreat they obstructed the road by 

 felling trees and burning or cutting all the 

 bridges. 



On the morning of the 10th, Gen. Nelson 

 reached Pikeville, where Col. Sill had arrived, 

 according to orders, on the previous day, hav- 

 ing twice encountered mounted men. The re- 

 sult of these movements was so effectual, that, 

 on the 10th, Gen. Nelson issued the following 

 proclamation : 



SOLDIERS ! I thank you for what you have done. In 

 a campaign of twenty days you have driven the rebels 

 from Eastern Kentucky, and given repose to that por- 

 tion of the State. You have made continual forced 

 marches over wretched roads, deep in mud. Badly clad, 

 you have bivouacked on the wet ground, in the Novem- 

 ber rain, without a murmur. With scarcely half 

 rations, you have pressed forward with unfailing per- 

 severance. The only place that the enemy made a 

 stand, though ambushed and very strong, you drove 

 him from, in the most brilliant style. For your con- 

 stancy and courage I thank you, and with the qualities 

 which you have shown that you possess, I expect 

 great things from you in future. 



Thus closed the campaign in Eastern Ken- 

 tucky. In the central part of the State the 

 military movements were more extensive. 

 Louisville, the head-quarters of the Union De- 

 partment, is situated on the Ohio River, on the 

 northern boundary of the State, and connected 

 by river and railroad with all the Northern 

 States, and by railroad with the localities of 

 active operations near the borders of Central 

 Tennessee. The level land on which the city 

 is located, extends uninterruptedly south to 

 Rolling Fork River, a stream two hundred feet 

 in width and three feet deep. Crossing by 

 bridge or a ford, a good road leads through a 

 level country for two miles to a series of rugged 

 hills, known as Muldraugh's Hills. The rail- 

 road follows a stream called Clear Creek, cross- 

 ing it about half way up the ascent by a tressel- 

 work ninety feet high, and two miles further 

 south enters at its base Tunnel HilL It emerges 

 on a smooth level plain, which extends many 

 miles south to Green River. Elizabethtown is 

 four miles from Tunnel Hill and forty-two miles 

 from Louisville. Nolin Creek is the first stream 

 of any importance south of Elizabethtown, and 

 fifty-three miles from Louisville. Munfords- 

 ville is on the right bank of Green River, and 

 seventy-two miles from Louisville. Green River 

 empties into the Ohio, and is navigable by 

 steamboats most of the year. The railroad 



