Andy Barr: “I thank the gentleman. As the Confederate lines fell back, Brigadier General Zollicoffer was separated and mistakenly…”

“I thank the gentleman. As the Confederate lines fell back, Brigadier General Zollicoffer was separated and mistakenly approached the 4th Kentucky Infantry and, believing them to be his own troops, was cut down. The result of the battle of Mill Springs was a hasty retreat by Confederate forces across the Cumberland River back into Tennessee. In hindsight, it was the last opportunity for the Confederacy to gain a foothold in eastern Kentucky. For the Union Army, which had been humiliated at the Battle of First Manassas in the summer of 1861, the battle was its first major victory of the war and a needed boost to morale. In 1991, the National Park System placed Mill Springs Battlefield on its list of the Most Endangered Battlefields. Today, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Mill Springs Battlefield Association and several other public and private organizations, the battlefield has been largely restored and now offers walking and driving tours, as well as a 10,000-square-foot visitor center and museum. H.R. 298 is an important step to recognize and build upon the good work of these organizations and passionate Civil War history enthusiasts from eastern Kentucky and throughout the country.…”