After Buckner's retreat to Bowling Green, Zollicoffer fell back to
Mill Springs, on the southern bank of the Cumberland River, and soon
afterward crossed the river to the opposite bank at Beech Grove,
fortifying this encampment with extensive earthworks.

During the month of September, General George H. Thomas, who with
General Wm. T. Sherman had been ordered to report to General Anderson
for duty in Kentucky--at General Anderson's personal request of the
President--was placed in command of Camp Dick Robinson, relieving
General Nelson. The latter then established Camp Kenton in Mason
County, three miles from Maysville, near the spot where Simon
Kenton's station was erected in 1785.

On the 7th of October General Anderson, on account of ill-health,
relinquished the command of the department, and General W.
T. Sherman on the following day succeeded him. At the same time
General A. McD. McCook was placed in command of the force that
[had] been ordered to the front under Sherman.

During the month of October the rebel Colonel J. S. Williams was
organizing a force of some two thousand troops at Prestonburg,
on the Big Sandy River, intending to operate in Central Kentucky
through McCormick's Gap. General Nelson early in the month started
with all the troops of his command to drive the rebels out of their
encampment. Nelson ordered the Second Ohio under Colonel L. A.
Harris to move from Paris, and the Twenty-first Ohio under Colonel
Norton to advance from Nicholasville to Olympia Springs, where
the entire command was concentrated. From here he advanced to
McCormick's Gap, and then divided his command, sending the Second