Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-08
LIVINGSTON, 0yERrOs Co., TEsS.,
January 20, 1862.
Eltor, Lani,gilLs Cotrier

LIVINGSTON, ONERrON to IksNI
January 20, 1862
Editors L5ui,0Hs Courier;
As everything concerning the contest in Kentucky is
Of peculiar interest to you end the readers your paper
propose giving you account Of the battle OF Fsh
log Greek, fought in Wayne county, the Upper Cum
ber;and, on Sunday, the l9.h day Of the month.
Il will be remembered that some two months ego,
Brigaditr General Zolicoffer moved with portion OF
hi command TO Mil SPRING. on the Southern bank o.
the Cumberland river and after advanced across
10 Camp Beech Grove the opposite bank, foruiynR
this camp With earthWorks. Al Besah G-s-s ho paceo
five regiments Of infantry, ten or Twelve pieces OF aru
~ ana several hundred cavalry aud at Mill Spring, h
bad two regiments OF infantry and seyera hundred
arg About the lst OF January NJ Gen. Crittcndcl'
arrived and took the command. The enemy in front
occupied Somerset with several regiments and G1luOba
with equal force.
About thsSecond week Of this month two more req
ments arrived from ROCKVILLE artillery company witt
tour guns, and Brig Gen. W. Ii. Carroll
Somerset s North Fast of Be- CD Grove, and Columb
Northwest A road connects Somerset aud Columbia
From Beech Grove the road runs North EaSerly toward
Somerset for II 20 miles, when il forks-the lower for
crossing Fishing Creek at what is know "a the love-
crossing which is DIS ant seven miles from Beech Grow
aud twelve miles from Somerset the upper fork, rnu
ming five miles into the road nom Columbia 70 Scmeue
and from tbG. pont along wi It two miles, TO the NJ
rer crossing OF Fishing Cresk, which is distant mile
from Somerset Running from North to South betwee
Somerset and Beech Grove s Fishing Creek, with high
preciptous banks, end emptying into the Cumberland
River above Beech Grove.
On the l7th of January was ascertaued that argr
Federal force was moving the from Columbia to
Somerset and the evening o. that day was camped st
the point where the Beech Grove road runs into the Co
umbl and Somerset road distant from Beech Grove 10
miles Il was also ascerained the day that TIE
Federal forces fcm Somerset had moved to the lower
crossing and were clmped on the Somerset side Of Fss
ue Creek L. wss aso asccraned that other reinforce
mens were movil from the dirCc;ion Of Columbia and
that the Junction Of all wss intended for an attack
Camp Beech Grove On the l7th and lSh 1t rained r"
much that Fishing Greek could not be cssed ard 80 the
Somerset orca OF several thousand could not join TIL
force from Columbia before tho 2O.h.
From the face of the country in front OF Camp Beec"
Grove there vas very bad range for artillery and could
not be of very material beneh against an attacking III
fautry force and from the exea, oil the front line and
the number Of wcks TO be defended, there within
the camp an insufficient force. At the same time, for
several weeks bare eNstsnce in the camp very pr
oirious from want OF provisions ard forage Regiment
frequently subsstcd third ratons and THE very
frequently of bread alone. Wayne county, which wa
alone productive In this region of K'ntucky had b"ei.
eXta ,sed and the n(ighboring counties OF Tennessee
cou furnish nothing 10 the support oil the amy. Th"
coalition Of the roads aud the poverty Of the inerw
ming section rendered II impossible TO transport from
| Knoxville a distance OF $50 miles. The enemy from
Columbia commanded the Cumberland river. aad oDly
one boat could come up with supplies from Nashville.
With the channel OF comm uuication closed the position
became untenabs without attack. Only cora could be
obtained for the horses and mules and this N such small
quantities that often cavalry companies sent on.
unshod horses which h,d eaten nothing for two days.
The roads in every direction extremely bad, and
on tie landicg up either bank TO the camp il was din
Gu TO emLloy wagons and in add ion TO this the eros
leg Of the river was bad in the small ieryooa as used or
hat purpose Description would fail In portrsyng tbe df
fcutes OF this position TO one who has not seen and sui
fered.
By extraordinary e1eftious for several days, proVia
ions enough had been gathered 10 ration the army with
bread meat coffee and sugar for two days-thc l9 h
and 20h.
On the afternoon Of the s.h, two cavalry panies
which had beeR sent out by Genera Crtenden, return
ed reporting the position OF the enemy unchanged and
Fishing Greek u that could not be pissed on tie
lyh Ia view OF this of things, ii seems GENERA
Crenen determined march out and attack The force
at the junction of the roads before the Somerset brigade
could unite with IT, ,nd il possible before 1t could be
Joined by the from Columbia On the Afternoon
OF the s.h Gen. ZpicCfr remark 10 he writer tha
s snspI o,gt 10 be attacked and on that evening zen
Crtenden called courcl at his quarter, with Gene
Z,lcoisr aud Carroll and tho Colonies OF regiments and
Captains Of artillery Snd Lcni Colonies ot cavalry bs
ia ions and il there ,ad' naoIsy dSr6d 10 MAKE IT,
attack
In perfect silence at nlinigbt the march began. II
front moved the brigade Of Gen. Ziiceifer oonsisul
of the 18th Mississippi regiment commanded ty Lieut.
Ool Wathsl in advance, and the Tennessee regiments
of Colonels Cumming, lie and SantOn, with tuns
commanded by Capt. Ru ledge. Then moved the bd
eade of Gen. Carroll consisting OF the Tennessee reg
meuts Of Colonels Newman, Murray and Powell, with .
enns, commanded bs Capt McCluug. Then meyCd The
i6.h Alabama regiment, Col Wood, "a reserve, and
Branners aud McCelian's batslions OF cavalry In ad
vance Of the column moved the iudepsrd.nt cavalry
companies OF Capts. Blrdsos and Saunders.
Ia the gray dawn, about o'clock, two miles from
their camp the pckets Of the enemy fred upon our ad
yarced civalry aud wounded one in the arm
Then two comp luies Of he Mississippi Regiment were