Led by Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer, 7,500 Confederates attacked Camp Wildcat on October 21, 1861, where 5,000 Union men under Gen. Albin Schoepf held an entrenched position. The Union’s natural defensive advantage in the Rockcastle Hills stopped the Southern troops, who retreated to Tenn. This major battle came during four days of skirmishes, attacks, and heavy gunfire. The position was considered crucial for each side: Union forces camped two miles north of here to prevent a Confederate attack into Kentucky’s Bluegrass region, while Confederates sought to prevent a Union advance into eastern Tennessee, where many citizens remained loyal to the Union.