Oxford Times, February 12, 1862
Letter describing Battle of Logan's Cross Roads, January 19, 1862
Somerset, Ky, Jan. 26th, 1862
Editor Oxford Times: As I am now in Standart's Battery of Schoepf's Brigade, stationed at Somerset, Ky., I will enclose a few lines to you concerning the late battle of Logan's Field, Ky., some 16 miles from Somerset, and between Fishing Creek and the Cumberland River.
Our Brigade consists of 7 Regiments, viz, the 17th and 31st and 39th Ohio, and two Tennessee Regiments, the 12th Ky. and 38th Ohio and 2 batteries of Artillery, one Captain Standart's Co. B, first Regiment Ohio Artillery, the other is Ky. Artillery, commanded by Captain J.M. Hewitt. On the 17th our Battery, Captain Standart's, and the two Tennessee Regiments and the 12th Ky Regiment, received orders to march to a forks of the road, some 3 or 4 miles on the other side of Fishing Creek, and about 14 miles from Somerset, where we formed a junction with General Thomas and part of his Brigade. The balance of our force under General Schoepf started out on another road and was to cross Fishing Creek some 6 or 8 miles below, and as soon as both Divisions got up in proper position, it was the intention to move forward on the rebels under Zollicoffer,15,000 strong and strongly fortified, at a place called Mills Springs on the Cumberland river. But owing to the heavy rains for the last two or three days, Fishing Creek was almost impassible. The gallant boys soon got a rope stretched across the creek by which they could steady themselves while wading, which was almost chin deep, and about ten rods across. This, of course, caused great delay and those men did not get up in time to participate in the fight, for Generals Crittenden and Zollicoffer got news on the 18th that our forces were concentrated for a move on them, and they immediately started out with 10,000 men and 12 or 14 pieces of artillery to give us battle, and if possible to rout us before we could get our forces concentrated. They marched all night and got up and attacked our pickets at break of day. They were out about two miles. Our men hearing the firing, some rallied and was off to meet them. Three companies of Walford's Cavalry were soon out to assist the pickets. Next went the 19th Indians, next the two Tennessee Regiments and our battery. But as we had to go by way of the road to get through the woods, the 4th Ky. Regiment [cut] across the lots and beat us in. We were soon in the ranks however, and soon our Battery was belching forth their fiery missals among the main body of the rebel army. The Tennesseans were off on the left flank, and for a while had nothing to do. But soon they got a show and in they went, and if ever there was hard fighting it was at that time. The rebels had tried to flank us in that direction and if possible to take one section of Captain Kinney's Battery that was playing on them from that direction. (Kinney's Battery belonged to Thomas's Brigade). The rebels out numbered them two to one, but they did not flinch, but fought like tigers. They kept up a constant fire for twenty minutes, then charged bayonet and the rebels broke and run. During all this time our line was keeping up a constant roar of musketry and artillery. The rebels were above us, on a hill and behind a fence. Our men were below them and in the brush and woods. During the fight the 4th Ky. Regiment exhausted their ammunition, and were ordered to fall back. The rebels seeing this thought the day was theirs and fixed bayonet for a charge, and General Zollicoffer rode up in front of his column and fired his pistol at Col. Fry of the 4th Ky. hitting his horse in the hip, whereupon Col. Fry wheeled his horse round and fired at Zollicoffer, and killed him on the spot. As Fry's regiment fell back the rebels pursued on with bayonets fixed, when up came the 2d Minnesota and 9th Ohio and in they went. Welford's Cavalry was now out of ammunition, and were falling back. They had been fighting and dismounted as it was impossible to do any good with horses in the bushes. They charged the rebels again and thinking to break our lines, rushed towards us to a ford between us and them, when we gave them a few rounds of shell from our guns that piled them in heaps. Then the Col. of the 9th Ohio gave orders to fix bayonets. In the twinkling of an eye the bayonets were fixed and on they went at a charge bayonet without orders. We were giving them shell from our guns at the same time. The rebels met our boys at the fence, then came the struggle to see which should get their bayonets through the fence for a charge. I saw one of the Ohio boys fighting to get his bayonet through, but the rebels, were like to beat him and he gave a spring backwards, then one spring forward with his gun in a horizontal position about his head, and drove it through the fence just below the top rail and pierced a rebel through the neck. The bayonet stuck out six inches on the back of his neck. Our boys beat them bad at the charge and they broke and ran. We went into the field up to the time that they dispersed in a mass. It was two hours and forty-five minutes, during which time the firing was so steady that you could not distinguish one volley from another, except the booming of the cannon, which I am told could be heard at the distance of thirty miles along the Cumberland Valley.
When the rebels ran we moved on after them. They drew up their cavalry for a charge at one time, but a few shells from our guns hastened their speed and they did not stop again until they got into their entrenchments, eight miles from the battlefield. When we passed the ground on which they stood in battle it was strewed in every direction with the dead and wounded. We went to within one mile of their fortifications the same night and got there at about twenty minutes before sundown. We commenced shelling their fortifications as soon as possible, and shelled it as long as we could see to sight a gun, which was answered by one gun only, and that at long intervals. Their artillery did not damage us any during the whole battle, and there was no artillery man hurt on our side, except myself. I was hit with a spent ball from a musket which bruised me severely, but did not disable me. The next morning after the battle we all marched on to their breast works and found this camp deserted. We pushed on to the river and reached there in time to see their steamboat burning. They had been crossing all night in flat boats and one steamboat. They left everything in their flight. We captured thirteen pieces of artillery, -?-, ammunition, forage and battery wagons, 700 horses and -?-, baggage wagons, about 2,000 bushels of wheat and corn, and other commissary stores, such as sugar, rice, beef, bacon, coffee, clothing, &c. The road from the battle field to the river was strewn with blankets, haversacks, knapsacks, cartridge boxes, guns, sabers, baggage wagons stuck in the mud, two pieces artillery, dead horses, broken harness, corn dodger biscuit, boiled ham, and everything that they could throw way to speed their flight. I think it is the greatest victory that has been won since the war broke out. Our soldiers buried 309 rebels, on the field and took a great many prisoners. I am told that we have 1,200 prisoners. E.H.N.
Battle of Mill Springs - Wikipedia
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