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Adams' plantation, and then the landing of the remainder. The Federals took possession of the battery, from which they drove the rebels to Port Royal ferry. The resistance was feeble, the Federals losing only ten or twelve killed and wounded, out of about three thousand men. The enemy was driven inward five miles, his works destroyed, and the Broad and Coosaw rivers, which he intended to close, laid open to the navigation of our gunboats and transports. On the night before New Year's, General Milroy, in Western Virginia, sent seven hundred men and some cavalry, under the command of Major Webster, to destroy a quantity of the enemy's stores at Huntsville, in Pocahontas county. The bugle sounded on the cold New Year's morning, and the men, leaving the cheerful blaze of their camp fires, marched twelve miles, and at the foot of Elk mountain, where the pine groves abounded, encamped. Proceeding, they saw the enemy at a bridge over Green Briar river, six miles from Huntsville. A detachment pursued them to within two miles of the town, where again encountering, after a skirmish, the rebels retreated, and their cavalry at length made some show of resistance, but the Federals rushing on, they fled, their whole force doing the same, and Webster having accomplished his design, returned. The rebel General Thomas Jackson, at Winchester, started on an expedition on New Year's day, to drive out the Federal forces which lay scattered between him and the Potomac, and to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. On the 4th, near Bath, the rebels surprised forty men of the Thirtyninth Illinois, who were scouting, killed one, and took eight prisoners. The regiment at Bath opened on them with artillery, and Colonel Murray, with the Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania, crossing the river to the assistance of the regiment, took the command, but ordering a retreat soon after, abandoned his stores and camp equipage to the enemy. On the retreat an artillery fire was kept up, and the regiment passed in safety to Hancock, on the Maryland side. Next day, at dawn, the enemy began to shell the town, but did little damage, and was satisfied with tearing up the railroad track. General Lander arrived in the meantime, and prepared to defend the town. The rebels made no further attempt, however, and retired, taking a few prisoners with them.

On the 7th, an expedition from Kelly's command, at

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Romney, set out for Blue's Gap. Marching through_snow six inches deep, the men advanced fourteen miles, and on a cold wintry morning reached the enemy's outposts, who turned and fled. The order "forward, double-quick," from Colonel Dunning, sent the spirited troops on with shouts. They found the enemy prepared to receive them, in the gap between two precipices, through which the gorge, from twenty to thirty feet wide, had a road which was skirted by a stream. Here the enemy had two cannon in position, while a rifle pit protected him on the north. The enemy attempted to tear up a bridge across the stream, but the advance of the Federals was on them, and they soon crossed over. Colonel Dunning sent the Fifth Ohio to charge the rifle pits, the Fourth to scale the precipitous mountain, and the Seventh to advance along the road, when the fight began. The Fourth and Fifth had accomplished their designs before the centre column got into action. Of the two thousand men whom the rebels brought up, forty were killed, and the same number captured. Much spoil, in cattle, ammunition and stores, fell to the victorious little band, which now returned to camp.

On the same day, Colonel Garfield left Muddy creek, Kentucky, and advanced in the direction of Paintsville, in Johnston county, to attack five thousand men in that vicinity, under Humphrey Marshall, who, hearing of this approach, left three hundred cavalry at the mouth of Jennie creek, near Paintsville, as a corps of observation, and retreated to Middle creek, about two miles from Prestonburg. Garfield pushed on to Prestonburg, fifteen miles off, with twelve. hundred men, and arriving within a mile of the place, at eight o'clock, found the enemy encamped three miles distant, up the creek. He sent back to Paintsville for all the available forces. Again advancing, he encamped his men on the top of a wooded hill, in a pelting storm, in which they slept on their arms. After a hasty breakfast next morning, the troops pushed on a mile up the creek, and crossed over to Middle creek, which falls into Big Shanty opposite to Prestonburg. Colonel Garfield, who thought that the enemy were encamped on Abbot's creek, moved up toward Middle creek cautiously, throwing out skir mishers, and had not gone further than two miles, to the mouth of Middle creek, when he found the enemy in position,

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a thousand yards off. By skirmishers sent to feel the enemy, he found that one regiment was posted on the same ridge as himself, on the left of the road, and commanding it. Another regiment was on the right, and between was the artillery. The intention was to draw Garfield along the road between two fires, and annihilate him. Garfield, however, seeing through the design, sent two companies of Kentuckians along the crest of the ridge, and an Ohio company across the creek, to capture a spur of a rocky ridge, on the front and left of the rebels. Soon the enemy's cannon and musketry, in reply, told Garfield that the detachment to the left was heavily engaged, and he hurried up reinforcements. Then a fierce contest raged. The enemy got possession of the main ridge, almost opposite Garfield's position, and began a heavy fire on his reserves. Lieutenant-colonel Monroe was now ordered to cross the creek and attack the enemy, to prevent a flank movement, and this was gallantly done. While thus engaged, Colonel Cramer and Major Pardee fought against three times their number, and drove the rebels up the ridge in handsome style. With a thousand fresh troops, Garfield saw victory within his grasp; but when he considered that his brave men were contending with overwhelming odds, and that the conflict must be sustained for hours, he became anxious as to the result. Day was closing, and the enemy yet held the rugged heights, behind which the sun was just retiring. Shouts now rent the skies. The reinforcements had arrived. Without breakfast, and after a toilsome march through deep mud, Lieutenant-colonel Sheldon had led the Forty-second Ohio fifteen miles, the two last at a run, and now, mud-stained, hungry, and exhausted as they were, the demand was made, with loud clamor, to be led against the rebels. When Garfield saw the glittering bayonets dancing in the sunlight, he gave a loud exclamation of joy, prepared for the last encounter, and ordered up Lieutenant-colonel Brown with the entire reserve. The hour had now arrived to decide the contest, and hurling his bold squadrons upon the foe, he pushed him up the hill, and over the crest of the ridges, till the curtain of night fell on a retreating enemy. Waiting for day to complete the work begun, no foe appeared. The victorious troops next day entered the deserted town of Prestonburg. The Federal loss was less than thirty, while seventy-five of the

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enemy's dead on the field told that he had suffered severe punishment. No provisions being at this place, Garfield led his troops back to Paintsville. Meanwhile, Pope, in Missouri, on the 8th, sent Major Torrence from Booneville, who encountered the enemy near Silver creek, strongly posted amid ravines, woods, and underbrush. He dismounted the cavalry, and, followed by the infantry, assailed the enemy, and won the day, after a severe contest. The enemy lost three times the number of the Federals, whose loss amounted to twenty-five killed and wounded.

On the 10th, Porter, who commanded a part of the gun. boat fleet on the Mississippi, met the foe moving up from Columbus, and in a contest which followed, drove him back under the guns of his fort.

Newspaper correspondents were, at this time, kept in great mystery as to army movements, and the public thought that hostilities would not begin before spring. Ere the month closed, however, a series of heavy blows was begun, which went far to clear the great Mississippi valley.

The rebel line of defence in Kentucky, ran from Columbus, on the Mississippi, to the Alleghanies. Bowling Green, about midway, was commanded by General Johnston. Eastward, toward the mountains, was a large force, under General Felix Zollicoffer, who had taken up a position on the Cumberland river early in the winter, near Mill Spring. Against the rebel line of defences, General Grant and Commodore Foote, with the gunboats, were about advancing on the west, General Thomas on the east, near the mountains, and General Buell on Bowling Green, the centre. Thomas had led his advance, by the 17th, as far as Logan's crossroads, within ten miles of which lay the strong intrenchments of Zollicoffer. Bad roads detained the rest of his command, so that Thomas awaited their arrival. General Crittenden had assumed the command of the rebels early in the month, and thought that the position might be able to hold out against any force which Thomas could bring against it. Crittenden determined to attack the latter, and destroy the advance before the rest of the Unionists came up. Meditating a surprise, therefore, he led eight thousand men from camp, on the 19th (Sunday), and a courier dashed up to the head-quarters cf Colonel Manson, of the Tenth Indiana, who commanded t e advance, at eight o'clock in the

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morning, to report that the enemy was at hand. The long roll beat, the regiment rushed to arms, and heavy picket firing indicated that the news was correct. A company supported the pickets, while the rest of the regiment advanced to within seventy yards of the enemy, and formed in line of battle. Three rebel regiments poured a destructive fire upon the Indiana troops, who held their ground gallantly for an hour, and then fell back. At this crisis the Fourth Kentucky, under Colonel Frey, came up on their left, and, after a deadly volley, Colonel Manson again formed his left wing in line of battle. The Fourth Kentucky was seen to hold its ground well, as General Thomas rode on the field, and observed the enemy trying to gain its left flank. The ammunition of his men was now unfortunately giving out, yet the determination was, to fight to the last against the overwhelming forces on their front and flank. In this crisis, Thomas sent to the aid of the brave troops the Ninth Ohio and Second Minnesota, under Colonel McCook. This officer rapidly advanced, and occupied a position on the right and left of the Mill Spring road. On his way through the woods to meet the enemy, he came up with the Fourth Kentucky, which was retiring, and the Indianians, who were waiting for ammunition. He moved his men by the flank, to the ground which these exhausted regiments had left, and advanced until within a few feet of the enemy. To guard against being outflanked, the Ninth Ohio then closed rapidly, and a terrible conflict ensued, in which the combatants almost touched, each, the muzzle of the other's guns. The rebels, being unable to resist the deadly fire of the Minnesotians, took refuge behind some piled up rails, and held their ground desperately half an hour. In front of the Ninth Ohio, a log house, stable, and corn-crib protected the enemy, and, although these were taken by McCook, they continued to hold their ground with much obstinacy. McCook determined on a bayonet charge, by the Ninth Ohio. The enemy stood firm; onward pressed the dreadful line; the rebels swayed to and fro, and, before the shock, broke and fled in ignominious rout. A bullet penetrated McCook's horse, one his coat, and another his leg, but he continued to lead the column. Shouts now rent the air, and the victory was won. Genearl Zollicoffer was killed, being shot by Colonel Frey, of the Fourth Kentucky.