Middle Creek was a Civil War engagement fought in Kentucky, 1862. It was a Union victory.
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.
During the American Civil War, a military engagement took place on January 10, 1862, in Eastern Kentucky along Middle Creek. This clash proved historically significant for one particular reason: it marked the sole battle that James A. Garfield, who would later become president, commanded in person. At the time of the action, Garfield held the rank of colonel in the Union Army.
More than a month had passed since Confederate Colonel John S. Williams departed Kentucky following his clash at Ivy Mountain when Brig. Gen. Humphrey Marshall decided to pursue further recruitment efforts in the eastern portion of the state. Operating from Paintsville, situated on the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River and positioned northwest of Prestonsburg, Marshall worked to attract volunteers to his cause. By the opening weeks of January, he had assembled a force exceeding 2,000 men, though equipping this entire contingent proved problematic due to insufficient resources.
Union Brig. Gen. Don Carlos Buell tasked Col. James A. Garfield with driving Marshall from Kentucky back across the Virginia border. After departing Louisa, Garfield assumed leadership of the 18th Brigade and commenced his southward advance toward Paintsville. The Confederates evacuated Paintsville under pressure and fell back near Prestonsburg. Garfield's progress slowed considerably due to swamps and creeks that dotted the landscape. By January 9, 1862, he had reached the Marshall area.
On the morning of January 10, Garfield broke camp at 4:00 a.m. and marched westward for a mile to the vicinity of Middle Creek's forks, where he clashed with Confederate cavalry. He then wheeled west to confront Marshall, who had positioned his troops in a battle formation north and east of the creek at its forks. Combat began after noon and lasted through much of the afternoon. The arrival of Union reinforcements proved decisive, convincing the Confederates to abandon any attempt on the Federal left flank. Instead, Marshall's force withdrew southward and received orders on January 24 to return to Virginia. Following the engagement, Garfield's troops marched to Prestonsburg before falling back to Paintsville. The Union had successfully arrested the Confederate 1861 Kentucky offensive, with Middle Creek serving as proof that Federal military capacity remained intact.
These two January victories in Kentucky - Middle Creek and Mill Springs, which occurred slightly more than a week apart - secured Federal dominance across Eastern Kentucky. This control persisted until Confederate General Braxton Bragg mounted his offensive during the summer and fall of 1862. Having triumphed in January, Union forces advanced the conflict into Tennessee by February. The site itself received recognition decades later when the National Park Service designated it a National Historic Landmark in October 1992.
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