Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, December 31, 1861

Going on in advance of the wagons, we got to Camp West a little after noon.  The wagons did not get to Mill Springs until late that evening.

Zollicoffer now had seven regiments of infantry, three battallions and four companies of cavalry, and two batteries (fourteen guns) of artillery. Total present for duty, six thousand one hundred and fifty-four; aggregate present and absent, eight thousand four hundred and fifty-one.¹

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII, p. 814

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 104-5

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, December 11, 1861

According to orders previously mentioned, McNairy, having set out from Camp Hall with his battalion early in the morning, got to the river opposite Rowena in advance of the detachment from Beech Grove, and ordered Sergeant McLin to cross the river with Company E and enter the town of Rowena, if he did not meet a superior force. McLin crossed and boldly entered the town with about thirty men dismounted; but he found no organized force of Federals there, and if any home guards were there they did not make any show of resistance. About this time our cavalry from Beech Grove came dashing into Rowena from an opposite direction, and a warm collision was now about to ensue, but both parties happily discovered their mistake just in time to prevent any damage.

After McLin's squad had recrossed the river McNairy destroyed the ferry-boats and canoes which the enemy had collected at that place.

Our Colonel complimented McLin and his followers for having so boldly entered the enemy's town, unsupported, and without knowing any thing about what force they might have met.

I suppose that it was only "home guards" that had been annoying our scouts at Rowena, and that they fled on hearing of the approach of our men.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 95-6

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Thursday, December 12, 1861

Our battalion returned to Camp Hall, and the detachment that went down the north side of the river returned with eleven prisoners. They reported that three of the enemy were killed, and that one of our men was drowned in attempting to cross the river.

When the news reached Columbia last night that the Confederates were at Rowena, General Boyle ordered a part of Wolford's and a part of Haggard's cavalry to Rowena and Creelsborough.¹ The latter place is between Rowena and Burkesville. Wolford followed as far as Jamestown, and reported that our men left that place between midnight and daylight this morning,² but Colonel Haggard reported thus:

Creelsborough, December 13, 1861, 1 A. M.

General Boyle:

DEAR SIR: We reached this place at dark, expecting an attack. every moment since our arrival. I placed pickets out upon every road reaching this place.

Our pickets from the Rowena road have just come in, bringing us information that is reliable that three hundred men had crossed the river at that point this evening, and a large force on the opposite bank were crossing (said to be three thousand at least).

D. R. HAGGARD,        

Colonel Cavalry.³

Our men had all returned to their camps several hours before Colonel Haggard penned the above "reliable information.”

On the 12th General Boyle wrote to General Thomas thus:

The rebel cavalry who crossed the Cumberland into Russell County (at Rowena) have, it is reported, killed fifty or sixty of the loyal and defenseless citizens.⁴

Though he wrote as follows to Thomas the next day:

The people, even the good Union people, circulate the most devilish lies in regard to the enemy, and our own scouts, without they are selected with care, are not reliable.

The rebels were at Rowena and shot two or three men, but killed none.⁵

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 494.

² Ibid., p. 498.

³ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 497.

⁴ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 494.

⁵ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 498.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 96-7

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Friday, December 13, 1861

I helped to bury Cousin A. N. Ramsey, who had died of fever two days before, from Franklin County, Alabama, and a member of the sixteenth Alabama Infantry. He was buried in the honors of war, near Mr. A. R. West's.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 97

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Saturday, December 14, 1861

Captain Bledsoe's Company passed Mr. West's with thirty prisoners. They also took the three that we had been guarding since the 5th. Captain Bledsoe was instructed to take the prisoners to Gainesboro and send them by steamer to Nashville. Captain Wm. L. Horn, Company B, First Battalion, went to Nashville with these prisoners. His horse fell on him while in Nashville and broke his leg, which had to be amputated, and consequently he was not with us any more.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 97

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, December 15, 1861

As Captain Allison was now relieved from escort duty, and also of his prisoners, and as the sick boys were improving, he and I went to camps, leaving three of our company to wait on the four sick. We found the battalion at Camp Hall, where I left it the third instant.

Our battalion moved about ten miles that afternoon and camped for the night within six miles of Mill Springs.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 97-8

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Monday, December 16, 1861

According to orders from Zollicoffer, McNairy moved his battalion back to Camp Hall, where he remained for about nine days longer.

COMMENTARY.

It would seem that while at Richmond, in the latter part of last month, Major-General George B. Crittenden was directed by President Davis to proceed to East Tennessee, assume command of all the forces under Zollicoffer, and with ten additional regiments, to be furnished by the President, move into Kentucky at once. Accordingly Crittenden arrived at Knoxville and assumed command “about the first day of December.¹

On the 6th he dispatched for the ten regiments,² and on the 8th he received the following from the Secretary of War:

The President desires that you return to Richmond and report to him without delay.³

 On the 13th he was ordered to return to his department, which he did, but without bringing any troops with him.

On the 16th he wrote to the Adjutant and Inspector-General, S. Cooper, at Richmond, as follows:

General Zollicoffer is threatened by a much superior force in front and one nearly equal on his left flank. He has been ordered by me to recross the river.

 

He asks for six pieces, twenty-four pounders or eight inch howitzers. Colonel Powell's regiment has been ordered from the railroad to join Zollicoffer immediately, and Colonel Leadbetter informed, so that he can replace the guard it withdraws.

 

To make General Carroll's brigade effective it is necessary to obtain eight hundred muskets, which are known to be in ordnance office at Memphis. Please order William R. Hunt, ordnance officer at that point, to forward them immediately to this place, subject to my order.⁴

 Three citizens from the vicinity of Auburn, Cannon County, Tennessee—Messrs. Franklin Odom, Henry Dougherty and Hop Kennedy—arrived at Camp Hall in the afternoon of the above date, the 16th. Each of them had sons, and also many other relatives and friends, in Captain Allison's Company. They came to spend a few days with us, and we appreciated and enjoyed their visit very much. Three of our company who had been home on a visit and two recruits came with them.

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 763.

² Ibid., p. 740.

³ Ibid., p. 745.

⁴ “So ordered same day.” Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 770.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 98-9

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesnday, December 17, 1861

Zollicoffer wrote to General A. S. Johnston thus:

Had the reserve of Powell's Regiment, Wood's Battalion and McClung's Battery been sent on, as I ordered, I could have advanced. But I can hear nothing official from Knoxville of them.

 

For a day or two past my information leads to the suspicion that the enemy contemplate an early attack upon this position.¹

It will be remembered that Powell's Regiment was detached from the brigade at Jacksborough and sent to Knoxville to help guard the railroad. Colonel Wood's Battalion — Sixteenth Alabama — was left at Knoxville — when Zollicoffer started on his first campaign into Kentucky.

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 773 .

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 99

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, December 18, 1861

Having received a dispatch from Zollicoffer during the past night stating that Wolford's Cavalry was reported to be crossing the river at Creelsborough, some twenty miles below Camp Hall, McNairy sent a scout in that direction early this morning. On returning to camps, about half after eight P. M., our men reported the rumor to be false.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 100

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Friday, December 20, 1861

Cousin Alfred Hancock, who was then and yet is (1886) a citizen of DeKalb County, Tennessee, paid us a visit.

A member of our company, J. E. J. Hawkins, who had been home on a visit, came with Cousin Alfred. The latter had a son (C. E.) in Allison's Company, who, on account of bad health, went home with his father a few days after.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 100

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Saturday, December 21, 1861

I started to headquarters with a dispatch for Zollicoffer, but, finding Colonel McNairy at Mr. A. R. West's, I put up there for the night, according to orders from the Colonel.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 100

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, December 22, 1861

Colonel McNairy, Captain Allison and I crossed the river and went to our General's headquarters, which we found in a tent about one mile from the river. It rained nearly all day. We recrossed the river and put up with Mr. West again.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 100

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, December 1, 1861

Just before sunrise the enemy opened fire on us from the opposite side of the river. As we did not wish to have lead mixed with our breakfast (fearing it would not digest well), we moved back about seven miles from the river and took breakfast without the lead. McNairy, having collected his men together, returned to camps, which he found four miles from Albany, on the Monticello road, and within fourteen miles of the latter place. Camps had been moved about nine miles.

General Zollicoffer, with a small detachment of Infantry and cavalry, proceeded to reconnoiter from the south bank Colonel Haskin's camp, nine miles above Mill Springs, on the North bank of the river. Many of the enemy's tents were in full view, and they came out and fired on our men with small arms and one twelve-pounder howitzer. Our men returned the fire, but the distance was too great for small arms to be of material service.¹ Our General returned to his headquarters at Mr. West's.

General Albin Schoepf, having pressed on in advance of his brigade, arrived at Colonel Haskins' camp on the above date.²

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 10.

² Ibid., p. 7.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 88

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Monday, December 2, 1861

Our General took up four pieces of artillery and soon shelled Col. Haskins' Kentuckians out of their encampment, causing them to strike tents precipitately and retire out of sight, after which Zollicoffer returned to Mr. West's.

In the meantime our commander was building ferryboats at Mill Springs as rapidly as possible, by means of which he hoped soon to be able to cross to a good position in the bend of the river, on the north bank, opposite Mill Springs. Some lumber and a saw-mill, which were found at Mill Springs, aided materially in constructing boats.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 88-9

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, December 3, 1861

McNairy's Battalion moved up to “Camp Hall,” within seven miles of Monticello and within sixteen miles of Mill Springs, where it remained several days.

Having learned that one of my brothers, W. C. Hancock, was sick at headquarters, I went to see and wait on him. On reaching Mr. West's I found that J. W. Kennedy, E. L. Ewing, B. F. Odom, and John Herriman, all belonging to Allison's company, were sick, as well as my brother. Notwithstanding Mr. West was a “Union man," he was very kind to us, especially to our sick boys.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 89

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, December 4, 1861

General Zollicoffer threw over the first small cavalry picket at Mill Springs.

Colonel J. M. Connell set out from Somerset early that morning with his regiment, Seventeenth Ohio, three pieces of artillery and a company of cavalry, with instructions to move to the river and plant his artillery so as to command the ferry at Mill Springs, in order to prevent Zollicoffer's crossing at that point. Leaving his main force some two and a half miles from the river, Colonel Connell went forward with Captain Ricketts and Lieutenant Fife, of the artillery, to make a personal reconnoissance. On meeting our cavalry before reaching the river at Mill Springs, they (our men.) opened fire and gave chase, and the Colonel very narrowly escaped capture.

I take the following from Connell's official report:

In turning a sharp angle my saddle turned, girth broke, and I was thrown within one hundred yards of them, and but for the noble conduct and cool bravery of Captain Ricketts I would have been killed or captured. He got off his horse and waited until I ran up to him and gave me his horse, while he escaped into the woods.¹

Our men got the Colonel's saddle, one pistol, and some other equipments. Connell moved his force back to a position behind Fishing Creek, some twelve miles from Mill Springs, thus leaving the way open for Zollicoffer to cross.

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 475.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 89-90

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Thursday, December 5, 1861

Our commander commenced throwing his main force to the north side of the river. His cavalry pickets captured, six miles north of the river, after a chase of more than a mile, Major F. W. Helveti, of the First Kentucky Cavalry (Wolford), Captain Prime, of New York, engineer officer of General Buell's staff, and a corporal, W. F. Hudson, of Colonel Haskin's Kentucky Regiment. The Major and Captain were severely wounded, the former in the arm and the latter in the leg. They, all three, were sent back to Mr. West's and placed in the care of Captain Allison. So we guarded them for about nine days.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 90

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Friday, December 6, 1861

As Zollicoffer had by that afternoon thrown a good portion of his command to the north side of the river, he moved his headquarters from Mr. West's to Mill Springs.

General Shoepf became so alarmed at the movements of Zollicoffer on yesterday, that he fell back with his entire company last night to a position three miles north of Somerset.¹

Fishing Creek runs south into the Cumberland five miles above Mill Springs, and lies between that place and Somerset. One road to the latter place crossed

Fishing Creek seven miles from Mill Springs, and the other eleven. The enemy had thrown up fortifications at the more distant crossing.

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 476.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 90-1

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Saturday, December 7, 1861

Our men were still very busily engaged crossing the river and intrenching (at “Beech Grove ”) on the north bank.

A cavalry scout crossed Fishing Creek at the upper crossing, passed through the fortifications on the east bank and returned without meeting any, not even a picket, of the enemy.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 91

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, December 8, 1861

Brother Ben and four others of Allison's Company left Mr. West's to rejoin our battalion at Camp Hall, seven miles beyond Monticello.

Zollicoffer sent out two companies of cavalry to see if they could learn what had become of the enemy.

Before reaching the upper ford on Fishing Creek they found a Federal cavalry picket, consisting of one company of Wolford's Regiment, under Captain Dillon.

This company broke and a lively chase ensued.

Lieutenant Dine was posted a little beyond the upper ford, on the road leading to Somerset, with about thirty infantry from the Thirty-fifth Ohio¹ (Colonel Van Derveer). Dillon's fugitives refused to halt or give Dine's men any assistance, but pressed on to camp near Somerset. When our men struck the infantry picket above mentioned, they (the enemy) were soon killed, captured or dispersed, after which our cavalry followed Dillon's men nearly to Somerset. According to Zollicoffer's report, the enemy's loss was ten killed and sixteen captured, one of whom was badly wounded; and our loss one man and one horse wounded, and two horses killed. I take the following from Colonel Van Derveer's report:¹

We killed one of their officers in command of the advance, one of their horses, and captured one horse. Our own loss was one killed, one wounded, and fifteen missing.

In reference to the above affair General Schoepf wrote to General Thomas thus:

The cavalry under my command, as usual, behaved badly. They are a nuisance, and the sooner they are disbanded the better.

Is there no such thing as obtaining a regiment of reliable cavalry? Such a regiment is indispensable with this brigade at this time. The absence of such troops has kept me in the saddle until I am nearly worn down with fatigue.³

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¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 9.

²  Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 8.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 91-2