The Battle of Mill Springs, Kentucky
The Battle of Mill Springs is one of Kentucky’s most significant Civil War events, and was the second largest in the state only after Perryville. It also afforded the Union the first significant victory of the war. The battle, fought on January 19, 1861, was the conclusion of a Confederate offensive campaign through the eastern part of the state.
I have been wanting to travel down to the battlefield site for the annual reenactment, held on the weekend closest to January 19, for several years and I opted to take a weekend and travel down to the southern reaches of the state to Nancy, which is about 10 minutes west of Somerset. The weather in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I departed from, was downright chilly with a touch of snow, but despite driving 150 miles southward, the temperatures did not improve. It even began to rain, which only added to the effect of winter.
The first reenactment was held on Saturday morning, January 21 at 10 AM, followed by another at 1 PM, both featuring different reenactments of the battle. Despite the cold and the unexpected wind that accompanied both reenactments, there were an estimated 200 spectators per event. Sunday’s 10 AM event was a touch warmer, although fog enveloped the region and gave the scene a definite gloomy appeal. The rain that had passed through Friday night certaintly added to the realism of the battle, considering that both the Confederate and Union troops were not in high spirits due to the waterlogged travel that was involved and the bitter temperatures that were surely evident in January.
The event, which was only a $5 donation to the Mill Springs Battlefield Association, included a ceremony to honor the soldiers who fought in the battle.
Part of the enjoyment of the reenactments is to not only learn more about the history of the United States, but to learn how different some battles were described and written about in our textbooks. Part of the enjoyment also comes from photographing the event, and from learning about the individuals who portray historic characters.
This reenactor was displaying his bayonet and gun to some children.
This father and son combination was most interesting. The father had gotten into Civil War reenacting several years ago, and explained his interest in the war to great detail and how he wanted to pass along a little bit of knowledge to others – information that is either misreported, buried or just not told. His son has only been to a few reenactments, but finds the joy in dressing up, portraying a character and acting out a scene.
Young or old, everyone gets involved.
Everyone loves a good photograph!
If you are wanting to know more specifics about the battle and the region, it is worth a trip to visit the museum, open May – September, Monday – Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM, and from October – April, Tuesday – Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday from 1 PM to 4 PM. It is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Additional information, including scheduling field trips, group tours or inquring about the site, can be found at their official web-site, by calling 606-636-4045 or via e-mail.
The battlefield renactment, held yearly around January 19 on a weekend, is free to the public but a $5 donation is requested.
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