After establishing his position on the south bank of the Cumberland River, Zollicoffer decided to ferry the majority of his troops and supplies to the northern riverbank to fortify Beech Grove, a narrow strip of land between White Oak Creek and the Cumberland River. This maneuver, widely considered to be a tactical error because the river now blocked the Confederate army’s only path of retreat, was actually part of Zollicoffer’s overall military strategy. By locating the bulk of his forces north of the river, he felt a more aggressive stance could succeed and give a tactical advantage and a clear path to attack if Union forces tried to move south or slip past Mill Springs to take the Cumberland Gap.
A native Kentuckian, Confederate Major General George Bibb Crittenden, son of U.S. Senator John Crittenden, was placed in overall command of the District of Eastern Tennessee and was sent west to take command of the troops wintering at Mill Springs. When Crittenden arrived at Mill Springs on January 7, 1862, he found about 5,000 of Zollicoffer’s troops camped on the north bank of the Cumberland River and 12 pieces of artillery positioned at Beech Grove, while the remaining 1,500 men and 4 artillery pieces remained at Mill Springs on the south bank. He immediately demanded that Zollicoffer return his troops and all supporting artillery to the more protected south side of the river as soon as possible, but the swollen Cumberland River hampered this withdrawal.
The Union Advances
