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Contact: Andrew R. Miller, 606-303-8803
Nancy, KY – On Saturday, January 18, 2025, Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument is hosting a luminaria event from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. commemorating the 163rd Anniversary of the Battle of Mill Springs. Over 200 luminaries will be placed at Tour Stop #3: Last Stand Hill representing the casualties inflicted during the battle.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will begin the event with a wreath laying ceremony at Mill Springs National Cemetery at 10:00 a.m., followed by an engaging presentation about the battle by author Stuart Sanders at 11:00 a.m. The Sons of Confederate Veterans will have a wreath laying ceremony at Zollicoffer Park at 1:00 p.m., followed by a ranger battle walk and volunteers placing luminaries for the fallen soldiers at 2:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help place luminaries as part of this commemorative program can contact the park to find out more information on signing up and arrival times.
“As a veteran myself, I am excited to be here right now as a small part of honoring this watershed moment in American history,” said Acting Superintendent Kenneth Gilreath. “The Battle of Mill Springs was the first major US victory of the war and was the first domino that fell starting the chain of events towards the ending of slavery and the creation of our nation today.”
The Battle of Mill Springs was fought on January 19, 1862, near present day Nancy, Kentucky, by US and Confederate forces determined to influence control of the state for their respective sides. Speaking for President Abraham Lincoln, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton called the outcome a “brilliant victory” which helped solidify the state for the Union.
For more information about this event or the park, call the park Wednesday through Sunday between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at (606) 636-4045. All activities including parking are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the park’s website at: www.nps.gov/misp or go to the park’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/MillSpringsBattlefieldNPS.
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About Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument: Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument preserves and tells the story of the first decisive US victory during the American Civil War. This defining moment in the history of the United States helped determine the outcome of the Civil War which that continues to shape the nation today. For more information please visit: www.nps.gov/misp
Last updated: January 3, 2025