19 January 1862, Kentucky, War Between the States

Impressions for the Reenactment of the Battle of Mill Springs

Compiled by Geoffrey R. Walden

    This page presents historical information that can be used by reenactors to tailor their uniform, weapon, and flag impressions to more accurately portray the units on each side that fought in the battle of Mill Springs (Fishing Creek), Kentucky, 19 January 1862, with added information on civilian impressions.  For further historical information, visit the Battle of Mill Springs / Fishing Creek Homepage.   For a listing of units engaged, with information on commanders and numbers, see the Order of Battle.  Visit these sites for further details on the weapons and flags described below.

To skip to the section on Confederate impressions, click here.

To skip to the section on civilian impressions, click here.

            Federal Impressions          

General  --  During this stage in the war, most of the Federal units in Kentucky were uniformed in regulation frock coats, probably with sky blue trousers (although some were likely in state uniforms).  Some units wore forage caps, while others wore Hardee hats.  Several of the units had been issued overcoats, and many of the men probably wore them during this winter battle.  The Ohio artillerymen probably wore regulation artillery jackets, and one period image shows a gunner wearing a forage cap.  Infantry weapons varied from smoothbore muskets to Enfields.  Flags were partly regulation, and partly presentation.  The notes below give information for specific units that may be portrayed in the battle.

10th Indiana Infantry  --  Although the early-war gray uniform of the Indiana regiments is well known, the 10th Indiana traded this uniform in for regulation blue uniforms (probably frock coats, although the state dark blue fatigue jacket may also have been worn) in November 1861.  An apparently early image of Pvt. Martin Wert shows him in what looks like a frock coat with a modified Hardee hat.  (In another image, apparently from the fall of 1861, Pvt. Wert is wearing a dark jacket and a forage cap.)  The regiment was issued new Enfield rifles in October 1861; they also had knapsacks.  One of the regiment's colors was a presentation flag made by ladies in Louisville, Kentucky.  It was described as regulation size, of the best material with gold fringe; the field contained a scroll with the motto "E Pluribus Unum" in gold thread, surrounded by silver stars.  The stripes bore the inscription "Presented by Sallie Mansfield and Betty Crabb to the Tenth Regiment Indiana Volunteers."  Another color, which had been presented by the ladies of Lafayette, Indiana, was "completely torn into shreds by the bullets of the enemy" during the battle.  The 10th Indiana began the battle as the farthest advanced infantry pickets, and they, along with the 1st Kentucky Cavalry, first engaged the Confederates, then fought in the main Federal line for the rest of the battle.  (Shaw, pp. 127, 129, 130, 132, 149)  For more info on the 10th Indiana, visit the 10th Indiana Infantry page.

1st Kentucky Cavalry  --  The regiment was issued uniforms (type unknown) a couple of months before the battle, but constant scouting service during this period would probably have given them a well worn look.  The unit had overcoats.  Of the four companies engaged at Mill Springs, three had the 1859 Sharps New Model "Army" rifle with saber bayonets; the other company had "muskets" (type unknown).  The men also had the "navy pistol" (apparently Colt 1851 Navies) and some type of saber.  It is highly unlikely that the 1st Kentucky Cavalry carried colors or guidons of any type at Mill Springs; records in the Kentucky Military History Museum indicate that no colors were issued to Kentucky regiments until just after the battle.  The unit began the battle on advanced mounted picket, and were the first to engage the Confederates; they later dismounted and fought in the main Federal line.  The appearance of their commander, Col. Frank Wolford, during the battle is worth noting:  "To enhance his martial appearance, he rode the frame-work of an ugly roan horse, wore an old red hat, home-spun brown jeans coat, and his face had been undefiled by water or razor for some time."   (Tarrant, pp. 26-27, 29, 53, 61)

4th Kentucky Infantry  --  The regiment received an issue of jackets in December 1861; these were apparently the early-war state issue jacket of sky-blue kersey.  The regiment was initially armed with smoothbore muskets, but the two flank companies, and later the entire regiment, were armed with Enfields.  It is not known whether the entire regiment was armed with Enfields at the time of Mill Springs.  Apparently no flag was carried by the regiment at Mill Springs.  (Union Regiments of Kentucky, p. 303; records in the Kentucky Military History Museum; uniform info received from Clark Badgett and Brandon Slone)

2nd Minnesota Infantry  --  Apparently wore the regulation frock coat uniform, with Hardee hats, and overcoats had been issued (some were worn during the battle).  The regiment carried knapsacks, and was armed predominantly with M1842 muskets, both smoothbore and rifled, along with some .58 caliber rifle-muskets and a few Enfields.  The regiment apparently carried a US infantry regimental color into the battle, with the state coat of arms on one side.   (Regimental records in the National Archives, courtesy Stephen Osman; Albertson, letter of 22 Jan. 1862; "George W. Hart, The Zollie Tree, Winter 1997, p. 5)

9th Ohio Infantry  --  According to engravings in the unit history, it would appear that the regiment wore frock coats and Hardee hats at this period.  The regiment was apparently armed with M1842 smoothbore muskets at the time of the battle.  About May 1861 the regiment had been presented a blue silk flag with the inscriptions "For the First German Regiment of Cincinnati" (in German) and on the reverse, "Kämpfet brav für Freiheit und Recht" (Fight Bravely for Freedom and Justice). The regiment presumably carried this banner into action at Mill Springs.  (Trautmann, pp. 89, 128;  Todd, p. 1098; Wittke, p. 15)

Artillery (1st Ohio Lt. Arty., 9th Ohio Btty.)  --  Presumably uniformed in regulation US artillery jackets, but may have been wearing state jackets.  An image from Btty. B, 1st Ohio Light Arty., is somewhat unclear.  The different batteries were armed with rifled M1841 6-pounder guns, 1861 10-pounder Parrott rifles, and M1841 12-pounder howitzers (probably only the rifled 6-pounders were closely engaged during the battle).  Colors and/or guidons, if any, are unknown.  (Braden, pp. 79-80; OR I, 7, pp. 80, 97, 101; Reid, pp. 849, 895; OR I, 7, p. 101; Walden, pp. 6-7)

          Confederate Impressions         

General  --  The battle of Fishing Creek was fought prior to any sort of large scale effort on the part of the Confederate central government to manufacture and distribute uniforms, weapons, or flags, so units were clothed and armed at the local or state level.   This resulted in many different types of uniforms and weapons, and flags that were not made to any definite regulation pattern.  However, all flags should almost certainly be of the First National style; no other type (St. Andrew's Cross of any kind, Polk, Bragg, or Hardee) is appropriate to this reenactment.  The details that follow are for those Confederate units that saw the bulk of the action at Fishing Creek.

16th Alabama Infantry  --  A period image shows a soldier in a medium (gray?) jacket without trim, light trousers with stripes, and a black hat.  He holds a D-guard bowie knife, and may have on a double-buckle belt.  The regiment was armed with percussion muskets (probably converted flintlocks, possibly also M1842 muskets).  The flag of Company B, the "Mountain Rangers," was captured during the battle.  It was described as "a splendid silk rebel flag, bearing the inscription: 'Presented to the Mountain Rangers, Captain Ashford, by Mrs. W. D. Chanderoyne.'"  (The correct spelling would have been Chardavoyne.)   This was most likely a First National flag.  Another flag attributed to the "Alabama Guards" of Marion County was also captured. (McMurray, pp. 190-191; Clay, pp. 109, 114 (n. 9)

15th Mississippi Infantry  --  Several early-war images show the regulation state uniform of a gray frock coat or long jacket with distinctive trim, including stripes across the front.  The details of the trim and cut appear slightly different in all images.  The trim is assumed to be red, the Mississippi regulation color at this period, but it may also have been green or blue.  This trim also appeared as a stripe down the trouser legs.   One remarkable image shows a soldier wearing this sort of uniform over a battle shirt.  Other soldiers appeared in light and dark coats, without the distinctive trim.  A black felt hat was apparently the most popular headgear, and some soldiers added a six-pointed star to their hats.  (Click here to see an artist's interpretation of this uniform.)  The regiment was armed mostly with percussion muskets (probably converted M1816/22 models), but some companies were armed with the M1841 Mississippi rifle, with sword bayonets.   The Mississippians were famous for carrying their large bowie knives into battle.   One D-guard bowie in a tin sheath, lost by a Mississippian at Fishing Creek, recently surfaced in Minnesota.   Knapsacks appear to have been worn by some of the men (type unclear), and images show tin drum canteens and belts with frame buckles.  (McMurray, pp. 190-191; Ordnance Report, 15th Miss. Inf., 12 June 1861, Mississippi State Archives; Binford, "Recollections," pp. 16-17; Osman)

Flags  --  At this early stage in the war, several Confederate regiments carried more than one flag; indeed, many carried a flag in each company.  These company flags had been presented by patriots in their home towns or counties, and the men were reluctant to give them up.  During the battle of Fishing Creek, and after the Confederate withdrawal, no fewer than six flags were captured from the 15th Mississippi, and at least two others are known.  These were all company presentation flags of the First National style.  Many of these had inscriptions painted on them, along with decorative scrolls.  A drawing of the flag of the "Yalobusha Rifles," Company H, which was used as the regimental color during the battle, appears below.  (Field; Madaus, p. 131, n. 18)   (Any unit that will portray the 15th Mississippi is invited to contact the page author at gwalden@sw.cybersurf.de for further info.) 

Tennessee Infantry (17th, 19th, 20th, 28th, &c.)  --  Several period images show Tennessee troops in a dark frock coat with light trim on the collar and pointed cuffs; in colorized images this trim appears as a light blue.  Other images show light frock coats without trim.  It was very common for Tennessee officers at this early period in the war to wear a dark blue frock coat with US-style rank epaulettes, although some officers undoubtedly wore Confederate coats.  Black hats appear to have been the most popular.  The Tennessee troops at Fishing Creek were overwhelmingly armed with flintlock muskets, most likely US M1816s.  The failure of these flintlocks to fire during the rain in the battle was one of the direct causes of the Confederate defeat.   In addition to flintlocks, the 25th Tennessee Infantry had some "Tennessee" rifles (probably converted for military use) and percussion muskets, and the 29th Tennessee Infantry was armed with the "English musket" (presumably the P1853 Enfield, but perhaps the .75-caliber P1838-42 smoothbore musket).  The lack of proper arms in the Tennessee units resulted in some men in Carroll's Brigade being armed with double-barrel shotguns.  Little is known about the flags of the Tennessee units at Fishing Creek, although both the 20th and 28th regiments carried presentation silk flags, most probably First Nationals.  (Seymour, pp. 13-16; "Confederate Veteran," Vol. 19, No. 7 (July 1911), p. 315; OR I, 52, 2, pp. 182-183, 191, 228-229, 253-254; Lindsley, Vol. 1, pp. 348, 350, 384, 389, 403; McMurray, pp. 190-191, 201; Wood, entry for 10 November 1861)

Tennessee Artillery  --  The only Confederate guns on the front line and engaged during the battle were of Rutledge's Battery; these were four 6-pounders (M1841 smoothbore guns).  An early-war image of the officers and NCOs of Rutledge's Battery shows a mix of uniform types and colors: gray frock coats and tunics with trim (red?), gray trousers with stripes, blue jackets and frock coats; kepis or forage caps, dark and light hats, and even a havelock!  Artillery crossed cannon insignia is seen on some of the headgear.   The flag of Rutledge's Battery is unknown.  (Witham, p. 81; Tennesseans in the Civil War, pp. 148-149; Porter; OR I, 7, p. 94)

Rutledge's Tennessee Battery, 1861 (Tennessee State Archives)

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the following individuals who generously provided information and/or photos used in this study:  Clark Badgett, John Braden, Gay Carter, Bill Christen, Robert Cull, Tom Fugate (Kentucky Military History Museum), Nicky and Susan Hughes, Mark Jaeger, Mick Kissick, Mary Lohrenz (Old Capitol Museum, Jackson, MS), Stephen Osman, Nancy Terhaar, and J. D. Weeks.

Civilian Impressions for the Reenactment of Mill Springs

by Susan Lyons Hughes

The battle of Mill Springs, also called the battle of Fishing Creek or Logan's Crossroads, took place in an isolated, sparsely populated area. The relatively short duration of the entire campaign meant that there was little lasting impact on the civilian population.There were few families living in the area, and those who lived there remained in their homes during and after the battle. Few families were well enough off financially to have refugeed from the area. Those citizens who did make an attempt to leave did so AFTER the battle, and were mostly Southern sympathizers who feared retaliation from Federal forces once the Confederate armies had evacuated the area.

(from The Citizens’ Companion, August-September 1998, used by kind permission of the author and editor)

Please click here to read an in-depth study of civilians at Mill Springs, with background sources for the information on impressions given here, by Susan Lyons Hughes.

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