[233] operations in Kentucky. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas early in January began an advance toward East Tennessee, and on the 17th reached Logan's Cross-roads, ten miles north of the intrenched camp of Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer. A few days before this General Crittenden had arrived at Zollicoffer's camp and assumed command. Hearing of the arrival of Thomas, Crittenden determined to attack that general before all his forces should come up. With this purpose in view he advanced, and on January 19th made the attack. But Thomas was ready with more men than Crittenden had. The result was the disastrous defeat at Mill Springs, or Logan's Crossroads, in which General Zollicoffer was killed. For the management of this affair General Crittenden was censured and kept under arrest for several months. If General Crittenden really deserved censure it was for relying too much upon the reports brought to him as to the actual strength of the enemy and condition of Fishing creek which, it was said, was so swollen as to delay the reinforcement of the enemy. At a council of war held the evening before the battle, it was unanimously decided that an attack ought to be made. Brig.--Gen. Wm. H. Carroll, whose brigade did some of the best fighting of the day, in his report of the battle made to General Crittenden says: ‘I cannot close my report without expressing the high appreciation both by myself and my officers for the personal courage and skill evinced both by yourself and staff during the entire engagement; and however much I may regret the unfortunate disaster which befell us, I feel conscious that it resulted from no want of gallantry and military tact on the part of the commanding general.’ General Crittenden resigned after this affair, but showed his patriotic devotion to the South by serving without rank on the staff of Gen. J. S. Williams. Gen. Basil Duke, in an article on John Morgan in 1864, makes mention of Crittenden as in southwest Virginia assisting Morgan in defeating a raiding force led
