New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-21
THE VICTORY IN KENTUCKY.


All hearts will leap for Joy at tho news we
this morning publish Of tho victory in Ken
lucky The details of the affair are meoger,
coming to us very slowly; it is to be observed,
however, that each dispatch corroborates and
enlarges the previous reports.
The rebels have placed themselves, with
more or less strength, on line from Colum.
bus. Ky, TO Somerset, where the engagement
of which we have news took place. Near the
latter point, ZOllicoffer, with about 5000 in
fantry and battery, was strongly iutrenched
in q camp at Mill Spring, on the southern
bank of the Cumberland River, opposite Som
erset. 1t seems some time ago. however, that
several steamboat loads Of supplies had gone
up the river to him, and that the chief pur-
pose of lis presence in that vicinity was to
control the coal mines and send supplies to
Nashville. The region is rich, too, in forage,
aud he was awaiting himself Of all the resources
of lis position. II became desirable, then, to
dislodge him.
Brig. Gen. George W. Thomas commanded
the division of the Union army just there OPP
posed to Zollicofer. 1t was in camp at Som
erset-which place is the Capital of pulaki
al I'd ak,ut Goa Of -
Cumberland River. This portion Of our forces
was divided; Gen. Thomas, with half Of il.
passed across the river and threatened Zolli-
Golfers rear leaving Gen. Schoepn, with prob
ably from 5000 to 5000 men, in camp. Zolli-
Golfer, seeing the impending danger, left Lis
position, crossed the river, and attacked
SchoepG, on Sun1ay-nOt on Saturday, as it
was at first reported. The battle was des.
perate aud long The result was the total
route of the rebels. Gen. Zollicofer was
killed, and his body left ON the field, whence
it was taken by our men. In the afternoon or
night of Sunday a combined movement WINS
made on TIE Mill Spring camp by Thomas and
schocpf but before they reached that point
the enemy lad fed in dire confusion, leaving
behind camp equipase, stores, ammunition
everything.
We ere without satisfactory Information con-
corning the numbers of the killed and wounded
on either tide. The only report which pre-.
tends TO give figures Gays that the rebel loss is
275, and that the 10th Indiana Regiment on
our side lost rs. Beyond this we have moth
ing. 1t is stated that Bailie Peyton was killed,
aud the first intelligence received made it ap-
fallen; a subsequent dispatch, however, shows
that it was son of his, bearing the same
name. Though the losses are not definitely set
down, it is understood that they arc very
heavy on both sides. There were 20 many
Union men Of Tennessee in Schoepif's force
wbose blood has long boiled with rage at the
wrongs and insults they have been compelled to
bear till the moment came to strike, that when
they were allowed to meet their country's foe,
they must have fought with such terrible
earnestness as to leave behind them bloody
track.
We must expect now to hear of retreat
from Bowling Green, of concentration of the
rebels at Columbus, of battle on great
scale there, of the triumph of our arms and
the final destruction of the cause Of treason in
that section. The thorough and successful
reconnaissance just made by Generals Paine
aud McClernand from Chicago has prepared
the way for the most formidable operations