The Army of the Cumberland | Page 5

during the first six months of
the war, and hampered the Federal Government in the movement of
troops in the State, still in the end it was of immense benefit to the

cause of the Union, and enabled those in support of it in Kentucky to
unite and perfect their plans in comparative peace, unmolested by the
rebels from Tennessee and their own State. Under cover of "armed
neutrality" the Union men remained quiet until the time had arrived for
prompt and decided action, with men, and arms for their support, in the
measures they adopted to retain Kentucky in the Union.
In accordance with a general plan of operations adopted by General
Albert Sidney Johnston, on September 18th, General Buckner broke
camp with the rebel forces at Camp Boone, Tenn., near the Kentucky
line, and marching north, occupied Bowling Green, throwing out his
advance as far as Elizabethtown.
On receipt of reliable information as to Buckner's movements, General
Anderson sent General W. T. Sherman, second in command, to Camp
Joe Holt, with instructions to order Colonel Rousseau with his entire
command to report at once in Louisville. The "Home Guards" were
also ordered out, and they assembled promptly in large force, reporting
at the Nashville depot, and by midnight they were started to the front
by train. Rousseau's command followed at once, General Sherman
being in command of the entire force, amounting to some three
thousand men. The advance by train was stopped at the Rolling Fork of
the Salt River, about thirty-one miles south of Louisville, at which
point the railroad bridge had been burned by the rebels. During the
following day the troops under Rousseau forded the stream, and
pressing forward occupied Muldraugh's Hills with its two trestles and a
tunnel over fifteen hundred feet long. The Home Guards were left in
camp at Lebanon Junction, some two or three miles in the rear, where
Lieutenant-Colonel R. W. Johnson of the Third Kentucky Cavalry
reported later in the day with some additional companies of Home
Guards, and, by order of General Anderson, assumed command of the
camp.
This disposition of troops caused Buckner to retire with his entire
command to Bowling Green, where he strongly fortified his position.
The Kentucky State troops were under orders for ten days' service only,
and their place was then filled by several regiments from the States

immediately north of Kentucky. These troops were placed in camp, and
there received instruction in drill, discipline, and camp regulations,
waiting for orders for the advance.
General Johnston, under his general plan of creating a defensive line
from Columbus on the west, running through Bowling Green east to
some point to be determined on, early in September sent General
Zollicoffer with a force numbering several thousand men to make an
advance into Eastern Kentucky by way of Knoxville, East Tennessee,
through Cumberland Gap to Cumberland Ford, threatening Camp Dick
Robinson. On the 19th of that month the advance of Zollicoffer's
command had a spirited skirmish with the "Home Guards" at
Barboursville Bridge. These troops were compelled to retire, which
they did, to Rock Castle Hills, where they were re-enforced by two
Kentucky regiments under Colonel T. T. Garrard, of the Seventh
Kentucky Infantry, who had received instructions from General
Thomas to obstruct the roads and to hold the rebels in check. Garrard
established his force at Camp Wildcat, behind temporary breastworks,
where, on October 21st, he was attacked by Zollicoffer with 7,000
troops. Shortly after the attack General Schoepff [NOTE from Brett
Fishburne the correct spelling is "Schoepf" as I know because this is
my great-great-grandfather, but I have kept the spelling as in the
original book for subsequent references], with five regiments of
infantry, one of cavalry, and a battery of artillery, re-enforced Garrard,
and after a severe fight the enemy was repulsed.
After Buckner's retreat to Bowling Green, Zollicoffer fell back to Mill
Springs, on the southern bank of the Cumberland River, and soon
afterward crossed the river to the opposite bank at Beech Grove,
fortifying this encampment with extensive earthworks.
During the month of September, General George H. Thomas, who with
General Wm. T. Sherman had been ordered to report to General
Anderson for duty in Kentucky--at General Anderson's personal request
of the President--was placed in command of Camp Dick Robinson,
relieving General Nelson. The latter then established Camp Kenton in
Mason County, three miles from Maysville, near the spot where Simon

Kenton's station was erected in 1785.
On the 7th of October General Anderson, on account of ill-health,
relinquished the command of the department, and General W. T.
Sherman on the following day succeeded him. At the same time
General A. McD. McCook was placed in command of the force that
[had] been ordered to the front under Sherman.
During the month of October