The National tribune., 1906-03-22

GEN. FELIX X. zOLLlCoFFER.
company ought 10 be u" The mus
tering officer tried to tell him that they
had never had u Co. o. and II was
not according to regulations, but VOL
ford would hear none OF it He mis-
trusted that 1t was some trick of the
''shoulder-strap gentry" whom he con-
stantly suspected, and consequently
the 1st NY. Cav. was the only one in
the army TO have a Co. -.
Col. Wolford did excellent service
with his regiment, and was frequently in
the command of brigade for nearly
three years. To him as much as to
anyone else was due the capture Of
John Morgan. He defeated Pegram's
invasion of Kentucky very successfully
at Somerset, and drove him out OF the
State, and was prominent In Burn
sides movement into East, Tennessee.
Like MANY other Kentuckians, CUi.
Wolford viewed with rising disappro-
baton and anger the Abolition ten
denotes Of the war. While the Union
men outside of Kentucky had been, as
rule, strongly adverse TO abolition
when the war began, they were rapid
ly brought over by the growing bitter
ness of the conflict and the conviction
that peace could only come with the
destruction OF the peculiar institu-
ton" On the contrary many Of the
Kentucky Unionists had a reverence
for slavery that approached supersti-
ton, and Abolition" was as distaste-
full sound to their ears as Secession.
and they could not reconcile them
selves TO anything having that stamp.
The Emancipation Proclamation Of
President Lincoln chilled their love
for the Union, and the zeal with
which the Union officers carried out
H. No.
prominent KentucEians into active
hostility. Col. Wolford was among
those who resented deeply this per
version of the war from its original
purpose" and the probability is that
the failure TO promote him to Briga-
dier-General had much to do with his
acrimony on the question. On the face
Of the returns he had certainly earned
such promotion, and he had the NOR
tification of seeing many other Col
onels of far less conspicuous service
promoted over him. He became SO
fntemperate In the denunciation OF the
policy of the war that he vas dis
missed from the service in 1864. He
had dared this, expecting that he
would carry into opposition a large
portion OF those whom he had led into
the camps of the Union. and he was
mortified TO find that they would not
follow him as they had done before.
He took the stump for Mcclellan and
Pendleton in 1864, and was one of the
Electors chosen 10 cast the vote of
Kentucky for Mcclellan. He became
Adjutant-General of the State; was
again a Presidential Elector in 1865,
TO cast Kentucky's vote for Horatio
Seymour; was elected 10 the 4Sth Con-
gress as a Democrat and reelected to
The 49th, where he made a very cred
fable record. Time had softened many
NJ his angular nnilTc and the \
tricities of his youth in dress, conduct
and language had disappeared. He
was recognized as honest, public-spir-
tied, jealous and able He died at Co
lumbia, KY, Aug. 2, 1895.
The Battle OF Mill Springs.
1t was part of Albert Sidney John
ston's carefully premeditated audacity
TO have ZoilicOffer very threatening in
eastern Kentucky. The Secessionists
were in a decided minority In the state,
and everything depended upon their
making noise and demonstrations suffi-
cient 20 overawe the Unionists. John
ston intended that ZolIlcoffer should
advance in strong force TO the Cum
berland, and SO menace Camp Dick
Robinson as to diminish its moral in
nuence upon the people of that sec
ton. Zollicoffer went beyond his in
structions, and crossed the river, es-
tablishing himself on the north bank
at Fishing Creek, where he began in
trepching. Zollicoffer had not so far
commended himself to his superiors
by ability 20 handle troops, so thai
Gen. Geo. Il. Crittenden, who was sup
posed TO have high military ability
was placed in command of East Ten
nessee, TO oversee and direct the In
experienced graduate from the eii;o-
rial tripod.
Johnston wrote TO Zoillcoffer that he
was simply intended TO Observe the
Union srmy, and could do this better
from the south side Of the river, al
Mil Springs. Crittenden was also
written TO TO the same effect. Zolli-
Golfer replied that It was now too late
20 recross, since the Union troops were
taking up threatening positions Gen
Carter was at London with a brigade
Col. Hosklns at Somerset with regi.
ment, and Col. Bramlette at Columbia
with regiment, holding a wide semi-
circle directly across the roads lead.
ing to him. Gen. Schoepf came uT
with a brigade to Waitsbcrough, or
the Cumberland, seven miles above
Mill Springs, and after some reconnoi-
tering and cannonading, took up 9
strong position near Somerset.
Zollicoffer brought forward rein.
forcements TO Camp Beech Grove
as he named his intrenched position
until he had there eight regiments OF
infantry, two batteries Of artillery and
four or five battalions of cavalry-iT
all 9,4I7 men. Gen. Crittenden, recog-
nising the danger of the position, came
forward and took command. placine
Zollicoffer IN command of q brigade OF
four regiments and q battery of artil.
lery, with Gen. Carroll In command ot
the other brigade of four regiment.
and battery.
Gen. Thomas Advances.
Dec. 81, 1861, Gen. Thomas started
from Lebanon with Manson's and Nc
Cooks Brigades, to cooperate with
Schoepf In an attack upon the enemy
The Winter was stormy, and the heavy
rains swelled the streams outside their
banks and made the roads quagmires
The troops forged forward. determined.
ty, however, though there we're days
IN which they made but few miles