Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 1.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[392] and Piketon (or Pikeville), to cross the Cumberland Mountains, and finally descend upon Lebanon in the valley of Clinch River, whence it could cut off the communications between Virginia and Tennessee, On the 24th of October its column, after a brief skirmish, took possession of the village of West Liberty, and on the 6th of November a column of about three thousand Federals occupied Prestonburg, on the Big Sandy. This tributary of the Ohio is navigable above Piketon, and thus afforded Nelson great facilities for revictualling his army. The Confederates had collected in haste about one thousand men, under Colonel Williams, for the purpose of covering Piketon, and especially the defile of Pound Gap in the Cumberland Mountains, a pass of the highest importance to them, for it was the entrance into a district of West Virginia whence they drew large supplies of salt and lead. Nelson was trying to surround Williams, so as to capture him, with all his troops, at Piketon. This very difficult manoeuvre was then very popular with the American generals; and a newspaper correspondent who accompanied Nelson, affirming in advance the success of the movement, had the audacity to telegraph to the North that Williams had laid down his arms and surrendered with all his men. The public, still full of illusions, believed the report of this imaginary victory for two days. Nelson's expedition was to have more modest results. On the 7th of November he had sent one half of his forces northward, by way of John's Creek valley, lying parallel to that of Big Sandy, with instructions to fall back upon the latter, so as to take Piketon in rear. He set out himself on the 9th by the direct road which follows the Big Sandy; he had a march of forty kilometres to perform. But Williams was on his guard; carrying all his materiel and his depots towards Pound Gap, and sending a few skirmishers to detain the Federals upon John's Creek, he went, with seven hundred men, to meet Nelson, and waited for him at the Ivy Creek pass. The road, constructed like a cornice along the side of a steep mountain, made an abrupt turn at this point. Just as the head of the Federal column passed this turning, it received a murderous fire in front, while some troops posted on the other side of the river directed a heavy discharge of musketry upon its flank. Nelson's soldiers drew back in confusion before