Mill Springs Battlefield

— National Historic Landmark —

Shortly before daylight on January 19, 1862, the lead elements of the Confederate column encountered Union pickets—a guard detachment—at Timmy's Branch about a mile south of here. The Confederates fired on the Union troops, who retreated in haste. W.J. Worsham, 19th Tennessee Infantry, recalled, "Sunday morning at daylight the Cavalry ran upon the enemy's pickets one and one half mile out in their front. A few shots were exchanged and the enemy slowly fell back to his main line."

Upon hearing the shots, Union officers rushed reinforcements forward. The 10th Indiana and the 1st Kentucky Cavalry (U.S.) arrived first and formed a battle line on the ridge behind you.

Three regiments of the lead Confederate brigade—the 15th Mississippi, 19th Tennessee and 20th Tennessee—came over the hill in front of you in line of battle. With a shout, the Confederates, whose line straddled the road, surged forward.

Across the road, the 19th Tennessee opened fire on the Union forces. Hoping to get behind the Union line, the 15th Mississippi and the 20th Tennessee on this side of the road made for the ravine behind you. The Confederate maneuvers set up the battle, which was fought in separate engagements on both sides of the road.

Inset
After marching all night through a misty January rain, just



as the gray dawn appeared in the East, we heard fire from the Federal pickets as they fired on our advance.
James Binford, 15th Mississippi Infantry

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