Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 1.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[476] Sandy called Middle Creek, which the recent rains had swollen. The Confederates occupied a semicircular hill, the two extremities of which rested upon the stream. They had posted their four field-pieces on the left, and concealed their centre, in order to draw the Federals towards that point and take them between two fires. Garfield did not fall into that snare. Sending out a swarm of skirmishers, he compelled the enemy to discover himself, and as soon as he had reconnoitred his positions he sent a few hundred men to turn his left by crossing the stream near its mouth. After a brisk engagement the Federal detachment took possession of a height which commanded the positions of the Confederates. Garfield then gave the signal of attack to his right. The Confederates, being caught in their turn between two fires, began to fall back. A timely reinforcement made success certain for the Federals, and night alone prevented them from dislodging Marshall from all the heights he had endeavored to defend. The Confederate general took advantage of the darkness to retire in great haste, abandoning his depots of provisions, his wounded, and the little town of Prestonburg. The battle of Middle Creek cost him about sixty killed and one hundred wounded; the Federals had only twenty-seven men disabled. Their success was complete but barren, because, not being able to subsist at Prestonburg, they were soon compelled to return to Paintsville. No decisive operations were possible in that region.

It was some time after the check he had experienced at Wild Cat camp, that Zollicoffer, leaving Barboursville, had proceeded to occupy the important position of Mill Spring. Mr. Davis, although displeased with him, had not dared to dismiss him from the service on account of the popularity he enjoyed in Kentucky, but he had been placed under the command of General Crittenden. The latter presented a sad example of the domestic convulsions which followed the outbreak of the civil war. His father, an old gentleman justly respected throughout America, was a member of the House of Representatives at Washington, and his brother held the rank of general in the Federal army. The command which had been conferred upon Crittenden at the end of December gave him about ten thousand men; he had conveyed part of his forces to the right bank of the Cumberland and