After the Battle of Mill Springs, or Logan's Crossroads, wrong information and unrealistic expectations littered newspapers across the country. For the first time during the war, the Union had scored a major victory, but many in the public criticized the Union army's lack of pursuit because they did not understand the logistical situation or the terrain. Some regiments gained the spotlight at the expense of others who fought just as well. The uninformed opinions frustrated soldier and officer alike, and one nameless writer to the Louisville Journal had had enough, and looked to set the record straight.
Louisville Journal
February 3, 1862
Camp Beech Grove, Mill Spring,
Wayne co, Ky.,
Jan. 29, 1862.
It is amazing how difficult it is for newspaper correspondents to tell the truth in regard to the recent defeat of the rebel forces under Crittenden and Zollicoffer. It would seem that intelligent men at Somerset, who correspond for Cincinnati papers, ought to posses more accurate information in regard to the battle of the 19th inst. than is developed in their letters from that place. And then as a fair and candid man I must protest against the dishonest efforts of military partizans to make their particular friend the hero of the battle. With some there seems to be a labored effort to impress the popular mind with the conviction that to some particular regiment alone are we indebted for victory. Now as to facts:
The Tenth Indiana, Fourth Kentucky, Second Minnesota, Ninth Ohio, and Wolford's Cavalry all fought equally well. Never did men fight better or achieve a more glorious victory. Each regiment came up just at the proper time and dealt just the right sort of blows. The absence of either regiment from the battle would have turned the scales against us. All candid men will admit this to be true. If I were to single out any one officer as having contributed immeasurably to the victory, and probably more than any other man, it would be Col. Manson, commanding the Second Brigade. It was that accomplished officer who saved the left flank of our little army by ordering up Col. Fry, of the Fourth Kentucky to meet the enemy's right. It was Col. M. who observed the danger of being outflanked on the right and requested Col. McCook to come up with his brigade on the right, which was done in magnificent style. He seemed to comprehend the whole plan of attack and defence and was everywhere on the battle field encouraging the Union boys to meet the enemy. He exhibited in the battle of the 19th instant those same high qualities as a military commander which has won for him the proud title of the Hero of Rich Mountain. I, who say this, am not an Indianan, but a Kentuckian. In awarding to Col. M. what is his due, I do not mean to detract from the distinguished merits of Cols. Fry, Kise, or Vancleve. They each distinguished themselves, and they were each a necessity in the battle. In paying these tributes to Colonels and acting Brigadier-Generals, I by no means intend to intimate that our Division Commander, Gen. Thomas, did not do his duty. He was present in person on the battle field, and not only saw, but superintended the movements of the Union troops.
The battle did not come off at 'Webb's Cross Roads,' as a Somerset ignoramus writes. It was at Logan's Fields, twenty-five miles from Webb's Cross Roads. Logan's is on the main road from Columbia to Somerset, ten miles from the latter and forty miles from the former place. From Logan's a road runs directly south to the crossing at Mill Spring. That road runs directly through the rebel fortifications on the north side of the Cumberland. The distance from Logan's to the Mill Spring is ten miles. The battle should therefore be called Logan's Field.
Shoepff's brigade had nothing to do with the fight at Logan's. Gen. Shoeff [sic] did not arrive until the battle was over.
There are not Union troops yet at Monticello. People who live in cities seem to think that a army can be moved without anything to eat, and some of them forgot that it is quite difficult to obtain subsistance over the meanest dirt roads the world ever saw.
Some ignoramus writing to a Cincinnati newspaper says that when the battle opened General Thomas had under his command thirteen regiments of infantry. Such is not the fact. The entire number engaged in the fight did not exceed 2,500 men. But they were men all over.
The object which the enemy had in view in attacking the force at Logan's was to prevent an union of all the forces in this locality and to whip us in detail. The lower Cumberland was blockaded by a part of Gen. Boyle's brigade, and hence no supplies could come to them from Nashville. None could come to them from above. It was impossible for them to be supplied from the direction of Tennessee, and Wayne county was too poor to draw grain. It had been effectually drained already. The rebels were therefore compelled to retreat before all our troops united, invested their fortifications, and thus cut off all supplied as well as all chances for wheat, or to march out and fight us in detail. They chose the latter alternative, and had they succeeded at Logan's innumerable difficulties would ahve surrounded the Union cause. But they failed because they were in a bad cause and for the further reason that 2,500 Western boys can at any time whip 7,000 rebels.
It is now ascertained that the rebels killed and wounded will amount to more than 800. This is given to me from reliable sources. It has been also ascertained that a large number of rebels were drowned in attempting to cross the Cumberland on the night of the 19th.
Late in the afternoon of yesterday, a flag of truce was seen to come from the direction of Monticello. It was met by Gen. Manson, Col. Harland, Lieut. Col. Kise, and Ass't. Adj't. Gen. Kise. The party was headed by Henry Ewing, Ass't. Adj't. General to Zollicoffer. They bore a note from Gen. George B. Crittenden, requesting the body of Gen. Zollicoffer. They were informed that his body was retained for several days, expecting that it would be sent for, but as that was not done in due time, it had been transferred to Somerset, from which point Col. Manson was informed it was to be removed to Tennessee via Louisville. The rebel party returned. During the conversation which took place, Col. Harlan asked Captain Ewing why the rebel army did not make a stand in their fortifications. Ewing replied "That they could not fight without something to eat."
Many of the papers seem to discredit the statement that Crittenden was in command at Logan's. Such, however, is the fact. All the rebel prisoners assert that he was. Capt. Ewing, who bore the flag of truce, so said. And as conclusive evidence, there was found the original general order, which Crittenden issued on the 3d January, announcing his assumption of command, and the names of his staff officers.
I inclose the proclamation which Crittenden issued at Mill Springs on January 6, 1862. George is a used-up man. It were far better that he had fallen like "old Zolly," leading his boys against the enemy. I am told that as he passed through Monticello he looked "like one who treads alone some banquet hall deserted."
In looking over some of "old Zolly's" papers which, "owing to circumstances beyond their control," his friends were induced to leave behind, some documents were found. Some of them will be specially interesting to Kentuckians. "Old Zolly" seems to have been in the habit of keeping memoranda. He kept memoranda of all that was reported to him as having been said by Union men in Tennessee. These were nicely folded and backed "Dangerous men--watch them." Amongst his papers was found a letter from Gen. then Lieut. Nelson, written in July last from Cincinnati to George M. Adams at Barboursville. This letter was of course stolen by the rebels from the mail or from Adams' house when they robbed it last fall. But the most curious of all the documents is a memorandum in Zollicoffer's own handwriting, a literal copy of which is as follows. The original herewith enclosed.
Thus "Murder will out." The name of Shelby Coffee is also on the memorandum, but it has been erased.
Zolly not only had male but female spies in the midst of us. Alongside the memorandum of male spies, and in the same bundle, is a note from a woman living at Somerset, giving him exact information about the amount of united forces at Somerset on December 4. Zolly backs that note as follows: "Memorandum of a lady concerning the enemy at Somerset." Who doubts but that the rebels have female spies all over the State. Louisville is full of them, and they belong to the wholesale mercantile, pork, bagging, and rope class. Yet they still live in fine houses while the poor sick soldiers of the Union army are suffering for the want of proper hospital accommodations.
The question used to be, "Who killed Tecumseh?" It is now, "Who killed Zolly?" There is no doubt that Col. Fry Killed him. He says that he did. Various men saw him do it. At first all conceded that he killed Zollicoffer. But as soon as it was discovered that Fry was likely to win some reputation from having done that glorious deed, immediately sprung up numerous contestants for the honor of taking the breath out of Zolly's body. This and that man says he did the deed, because, says one, I am certain of it, and won't lie about a matter of that kind. "Be aisy," ambitious young man, and wait for the next battle. No doubt you will have a chance to "slew" some "big Injun." Render Fry the things that are Fry's. The Fry stock has "riz." He and his regiment have shown of what stuff the Union men of Kentucky are made of.
Derrick Lindow is an author, historian, teacher, and creator of the WTCW site. His first book, published by Savas Beatie, was released in 2024. Go HERE to read more posts by Derrick and HERE to visit his personal page. Follow Derrick on different social media platforms (Instagram and Twitter) to get more Western Theater and Kentucky Civil War Content.
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