| Battle of Middle Creek

| Began:|

January 10, 1862

|

| Ended:|

Same day

|

| Location:|

Floyd County, Kentucky

|

| Theater:|

Western Theater

|

| Campaign:|

Offensive in Eastern Kentucky

|

| Outcome:|

Union victory (indecisive)

|

Combatants

18th Brigade

Brigade

Commanders

James Garfield
Colonel, USA

Humphrey Marshall
Brigadier General, CSA

Strength

2,100

| |

2,500

|

Casualties

More than a month after Confederate Col. John S. Williams left Kentucky, following the fight at Ivy Mountain, Brig. Gen. Humphrey Marshall led another force into southeast Kentucky to continue recruiting activities. From his headquarters in Paintsville, on the Big Sandy River, northwest of Prestonsburg, Marshall recruited volunteers and had a force of more than 2,000 men by early January, but could only partially equip them.

Union Brig. Gen. Don Carlos Buell directed Col. James Garfield to force Marshall to retreat back into Virginia. Leaving Louisa, Garfield took command of the 18th Brigade and began his march south on Paintsville. He compelled the Confederates to abandon Paintsville and retreat to the vicinity of Prestonsburg. Garfield slowly headed south, but swampy areas and numerous streams slowed his movements, and he arrived in the vicinity of Marshall on the 9th. Heading out at 4:00 am on January 10, Garfield marched a mile south to the mouth of Middle Creek, fought off some Rebel cavalry and turned west to attack Marshall. Marshall had put his men in line of battle west and south of the creek near its forks. Garfield attacked shortly after noon, and the fighting continued for most of the afternoon until Union reinforcements arrived in time to dissuade the Confederates from assailing the Federal left. Instead, the Rebels retired south and were ordered back to Virginia on the 24th. Garfield’s force moved to Prestonsburg after the fight and then retired to Paintsville. Union forces had halted the Confederate 1861 offensive in Kentucky, and Middle Creek demonstrated that their strength had not diminished.

This victory, along with Mill Springs a little more than a week later, cemented Union control of eastern Kentucky until Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg launched his offensive in the summer and fall. Following these two January victories in Kentucky, the Federals carried the war into Tennessee in February. (NPS summary)

v • d • e

Offensive in Eastern Kentucky, January, 1862

Middle Creek \-- Mill Springs

v • d • e

Battles of the American Civil War: 1862

Eastern Theater|

Cockpit Point \-- Hancock \-- Roanoke Island \-- Elizabeth City \-- New Bern \-- Fort Macon \-- 1st Kernstown \-- Hampton Roads \-- Yorktown \-- South Mills \-- Williamsburg \-- Eltham's Landing \-- McDowell \-- Princeton Court House \-- Drewry’s Bluff \-- Front Royal \-- 1st Winchester \-- Hanover Court House \-- Seven Pines \-- Tranter's Creek \-- Cross Keys \-- Port Republic \-- Oak Grove \-- Beaver Dam Creek \-- Gaines' Mill \-- Garnett's and Golding's Farms \-- Savage's Station \-- Glendale \-- White Oak Swamp \-- Malvern Hill \-- Cedar Mountain \-- 1st Rappahannock Station \-- Manassas Station Operations \-- Thoroughfare Gap \-- 2nd Bull Run \-- Chantilly \-- Harpers Ferry \-- South Mountain \-- Antietam \-- Shepherdstown \-- Fredericksburg \-- Kinston \-- White Hall \-- Goldsborough Bridge

Western Theater|

Middle Creek \-- Mill Springs \-- Fort Henry \-- Fort Donelson \-- Island Number Ten \-- 1st Memphis \-- Shiloh \-- Siege of Corinth \-- 1st Chattanooga \-- 1st Murfreesboro \-- Richmond, KY \-- Munfordville \-- Iuka \-- Corinth \-- Hatchie's Bridge \-- Perryville \-- Hartsville \-- Jackson, TN \-- Chickasaw Bayou \-- Parker's Cross Roads \-- Stones River

Trans-Mississippi Theater|

Roan's Tan Yard \-- Valverde \-- Pea Ridge \-- Glorieta Pass \-- Stanwix Station \-- Albuquerque \-- Peralta \-- Picacho Pass \-- Dragoon Springs \-- Saint Charles \-- Cotton Plant \-- Apache Pass \-- Moore’s Mill \-- Kirksville \-- Compton's Ferry \-- 1st Independence, MO \-- 1st Sabine Pass \-- 1st Galveston \-- Lone Jack \-- 1st Newtonia \-- Old Fort Wayne \-- Island Mound \-- Clark's Mill \-- Cane Hill \-- Prairie Grove

Lower Seaboard Theater|

Fort Pulaski \-- Forts Jackson and St. Philip \-- New Orleans \-- Secessionville \-- Simmon's Bluff \-- Tampa \-- Baton Rouge \-- 1st Donaldsonville \-- Saint John's Bluff \-- Georgia Landing