anies of
the First Kentucky Cavalry; for in spite of their need of more drill,
they were brave and good men, and fought like heroes when they had
their chance at the enemy.

Captain Woodbine led them into action himself, though he was ably
supported by the regular officers. They made an impetuous charge while
the riflemen were picking off the men in the rear of the actual
fighting. The havoc was so great that the infantry could not stand it,
and they began to fall back to the rear. Then they fled to the west, in
spite of the efforts of their officers to rally them, as had been the
case on the field in many instances that day.

The fierce charge of the Riverlawns was too much for the first company
of the enemy, outnumbered two to one. This was the first time that the
squadron had met infantry in the field, and their opponents were well
drilled in resisting the attack of mounted men. But they soon began to
fall back, and retreated to the hill where Captain Woodbine had
observed the first part of the struggle. The cavalry could not operate
to advantage here on account of the roughness of the ground, and the
trees. They resorted to the carbine, and kept up an effective fire.

The first company passed up the hill; but it did not pause there, but
began the descent on the other side, which would bring them to the
pike, near the breastworks of Beech Grove. A shell burst on the
sharpshooters' eminence; but Captain Ripley resorted to his former
expedient, and the way was now clear for his men to retreat to the
level ground below for the moment.

The second company of the infantry on the meadow had retreated to the
woods, half a mile away, perhaps hoping to find a passage through to
their works. At Mill Springs the Cumberland River makes a turn at right
angles with its course below, flowing from the north to the south for
about two miles. The Confederate breastworks extended across the neck
of land formed by the river and a stream on the west for two miles. The
camp occupied by the enemy before the battle was protected by water on
three sides.

The example of the second company on the meadow was followed by the
others, and for the present they were all out of the action. The first
company appeared to have lost at least one-fourth of its men; but it
had fought all there was of the action. The Riverlawn charge had
disordered its men; but they had gone in tolerably good order up the
hill, and had begun the descent of it, while