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 Ohio, a section of Captain Konkle's battery, and a company of Ohio cavalry under Captain McLaughlin--all under the command of Colonel Harris--through West Liberty to unite with the command at Salyersville.Nelson then moved forward with three regiments of infantry, two detachments of Kentucky troops, and two sections of Konkle's battery, with a battalion of cavalry, on the road to Hazel Green.On the 23d Harris occupied West Liberty, after a brisk skirmish.The command united at Salyersville and followed the enemy to Prestonburg.At this point Nelson sent the Thirty-third Ohio, with the Kentucky troops and a section of Konkle's battery under Colonel Sill, by a detour to the right to flank the rebel position at Ivy Mountain.Nelson on the next day then advanced with his command on the direct road to Piketon, and encountered the enemy in ambush on the mountain at Ivy Creek.Pushing forward at once with the force under his immediate command, Nelson attacked the enemy, and after a brisk engagement, lasting over an hour, routed them from their cover and drove them in full retreat.
Sill occupied Piketon on the 9th without much opposition.General Nelson arrived there on the 10th, when the rebels leaving the State and retreating through Pound Gap, he was ordered to report with his command to General Buell at Louisville.
On the retirement of General Anderson, as the ranking officer in the department, General Sherman assumed the command.On the 9th of November, by general order from the headquarters of the army, No.97, the Department of the Ohio was created, "to consist of the States of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, that portion of Kentucky east of the Cumberland river, and the State of Tennessee, and to be commanded by Brigadier-General D.C.Buell, headquarters at Louisville;" and General Sherman was relieved from command at his own request.
Nelson's command being ordered out of East Kentucky, the rebel forces again entered, and in small bands were depredating on Union people in the Big Sandy Valley.The Fourteenth Kentucky under Colonel L.P.Moore was ordered to move from Catlettsburg and advance up the valley.General Buell finding that the rebel force had been largely re-enforced by the advance of General Humphrey Marshall, one of the ablest rebel generals in that part of the country, ordered the Twenty-second Kentucky under Colonel Lindsay from Maysville to join the Fourteenth, and Lindsay was placed in command of the two regiments.Marshall was a graduate of West Point; he had served in the Black Hawk War and had seen service in Mexico as a Colonel of Kentucky cavalry, winning distinction at Buena Vista.He had now entered the State from Virginia through Pound Gap, and had reached a strong natural position near Paintville, where he was rapidly increasing his army, with the intention of raising a sufficient force--already some five thousand--to operate on General Buell's flank and to retard his advance into Tennessee.The Forty-second Ohio, just organized, was in a camp of instruction near Columbus, Ohio, under its Colonel, James A.Garfield.While there, in December, he was ordered by General Buell to move his regiment at once to Catlettsburg, at the mouth of the Big Sandy River, and to report in person to Louisville for orders.
