“A Brilliant Victory” | Ranger Andrew Miller | GNMP Winter Lecture 2024

Saturday February 3 - "A Brilliant Victory": The Fight to Preserve the First Significant US Victory of the Civil War
Ranger Andrew Miller, Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument
Declaring armed neutrality to avoid allegiance to either side at the beginning of the Civil War, the Commonwealth of Kentucky was ironically teetering towards civil war itself. Pro-Confederate state troops began training while US-backed home guard units organized to oppose them. After Confederate forces invaded the state and voided that neutrality, both US and Confederate forces began to maneuver for controlling this vital border state.
On January 19, 1862, US troops encamped around Logan's Crossroads (present day Nancy, Kentucky) were surprised by a large Confederate force that was intent on their destruction. A combination of the misunderstanding of the disposition of the US forces in the area, miserable winter weather, and the emergence of George H. Thomas as a successful battlefield leader led to the rout of the Confederate forces out of eastern Kentucky. Speaking for President Abraham Lincoln, the new Secretary of War Edwin Stanton wired a message stating that the Battle of Mill Springs as "a brilliant victory." This first significant US triumph, in tandem with the victories at Forts Henry and Donelson, enabled the large scale forward movement of US military power deep into Tennessee, pushing the Confederacy on its heels at the beginning of 1862.
In 1992, the Mill Springs Battlefield Association began a large-scale effort to preserve these historic, hallowed grounds before the National Park Service took over management in 2019 as the 421st national park site.
Come on out and join us as we get to know Tim Smith and Garry Adelman on March 16 at ACHS. It’ll be fun
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[@addressinggettysburg]

Good evening everyone. Time for another Winter Lecture from the visitor center at Gettysburg National Military Park. Enjoy!

[@joycefranklin8981]

Several years ago on my way to Perryville Battlefield I stumbled across the Mills Springs Battlefield and spent a very interesting day there. I wish I could have seen this presentation before I visited the battlefield. It would have helped a lot.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Very cool!

[@Aondish]

So glad I FINALLY got to attend one of these!

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thanks for saying hi, Andy 😬

[@johnc.boguskijr.3234]

Nice job

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thanks!

[@mwdjr3158]

Fantastic!

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Glad you like it!

[@K8E666]

Excellent

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you so much 😀