The Army of the Cumberland | Page 9

which
then fell back; and after a brisk skirmish with the Thirty-fifth Ohio they
were driven back with a loss of two or three men on each side.
General Buell had ordered Thomas to keep his immediate command at
Columbia, and had directed him not to send any more troops to
Schoepff at Somerset, considering that the latter had sufficient force to
drive the rebels across the Cumberland. Thomas was directed to hold
himself in readiness to make an immediate movement, when ordered,
from Columbia on the rebel General Hindman, who with some seven
thousand troops was operating in that vicinity, throwing out his cavalry
far in advance of his main column, and feeling the position of the
Federal forces. Hindman had been ordered by General Johnston to

make a diversion in favor of Zollicoffer; and when Thomas from
Columbia checked Hindman's advance, the latter reported that the force
under Thomas had not been weakened to reinforce Schoepff, or to
strengthen the main command at Bowling Green, and that Zollicoffer
was in no immediate danger.
Schoepff with his entire command on the 18th made a reconnoissance
to determine the location and purposes of the rebel force. Pushing his
command forward he drove their cavalry pickets in and found that
Zollicoffer had been intrenching his camp, his line of fortifications
extending from the river to Fishing Creek and his camp being in the
angle formed by the junction of this stream with the Cumberland.
Having accomplished this, and not intending to bring on an
engagement, Schoepff returned with his command to their encampment
north of Somerset.
Buell now finding that the only rebel force encamped in Eastern
Kentucky was that under Zollicoffer, and deeming it important that he
be driven from the State, modified his previous order to Thomas, and
on December 29th directed him to advance against Zollicoffer from
Columbia and attack on his left flank. He also ordered Schoepff to
attack him in front. Two days later Thomas started from Lebanon with
the Second Brigade, under command of Colonel Manson, and two
regiments of Colonel McCook's brigade, Kinney's battery of artillery,
and a battalion of Wolford's cavalry. Heavy rains, swollen streams, and
almost impassable roads impeded the movement of the troops so that it
was not until the 17th of January that they reached Logan's Cross
Roads, ten miles from the rebel encampment. At this point Thomas
halted his command and awaited the arrival of the Fourth and Tenth
Kentucky, the Fourteenth Ohio, and the Eighteenth United States
Infantry, detained in the rear by the condition of the road. He
communicated at once with Schoepff, and the same day the latter
reported in person. General Thomas directed Schoepff to send him
Standart's battery, the Twelfth Kentucky and the First and Second
Tennessee regiments, which were to strengthen the command on the
immediate front until the arrival of the regiments in the rear. Thomas
placed the Tenth Indiana, Wolford's cavalry, and Kinney's battery on

the main road leading to the enemy's camp. The Ninth Ohio and the
Second Minnesota were posted three-quarters of a mile to the right on
the Robertsport road. Strong pickets were thrown out on the main road
in the direction of the enemy, with cavalry pickets beyond. Our pickets
were fired on and had a skirmish with the rebel pickets on the night of
the 17th. On the 18th, the Fourth Kentucky, a battalion of the Michigan
Engineers and Wetmore's Battery also reported to Thomas.
Crittenden, on learning that Zollicoffer had crossed the Cumberland,
had sent at once an order by courier, post haste, directing him to recross;
but on his arrival at Mill Springs he found Zollicoffer still on the north
bank, waiting his arrival before retiring. Crittenden gave orders at once
for the construction of boats to take his command across the river; but
they were not ready when he heard of the approach of General Thomas
on January 17th.
On the 18th, Crittenden reported to General Johnston that he was
threatened by a superior force of the enemy in his front, and that as he
found it impossible to cross the river, he should have to make the fight
on the ground he then occupied.
His weekly reports showed eight infantry regiments, four battalions
(seventeen companies) of cavalry, and two companies of artillery,
making an aggregate of 9,417 men. His circular order of the 18th,
directing the order of march in his advance to attack, shows that his
army was on the day of battle composed of the same companies, and
that his force was about the same.
At midnight, on January 18th, in a heavy winter rain, the Confederate
army marched out to battle with Bledsoe's and Saunders's independent
cavalry companies in advance. Zollicoffer's brigade of four regiments,
with Rutledge's battery of artillery, followed.