▁known ▁as ▁" Mil it ia ▁Hill " ▁over look s ▁this ▁water ▁gap . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁violence ▁centered ▁around ▁two ▁communities — ▁Br ice ville , ▁at ▁the ▁upper ▁end ▁of ▁Co al ▁Creek ▁near ▁its ▁source , ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Co al ▁Creek , ▁the ▁modern ▁Rock y ▁Top , ▁at ▁the ▁lower ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁cre ek ▁where ▁it ▁emer ges ▁from ▁its ▁Wal den ▁R idge ▁water ▁gap . ▁ ▁Other ▁key ▁events ▁occurred ▁some ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁Co al ▁Creek ▁at ▁Oliver ▁Spr ings . ▁ ▁A ▁substantial ▁number ▁of ▁sympath etic ▁min ers ▁tre kk ed ▁south ward ▁from ▁J el lic o , ▁about ▁twenty - five ▁miles ▁north ▁of ▁Co al ▁Creek , ▁and ▁Kentucky ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁u pr ising , ▁and ▁a ▁parallel ▁anti - le asing ▁conflict ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁Grund y ▁County ▁and ▁Mar ion ▁County , ▁about ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Co al ▁Creek ▁area , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁ ▁Co al ▁Creek ▁was ▁connected ▁to ▁Kentucky ▁and ▁Kno x ville ▁by ▁the ▁East ▁Tennessee , ▁Virginia ▁& ▁Georgia ▁Rail road , ▁and ▁a ▁sp ur ▁line ▁connected ▁Co al ▁Creek ▁to ▁Br ice ville . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁Tennessee , ▁like ▁other ▁Southern ▁states , ▁strugg led ▁to ▁find ▁sources ▁of ▁re venue . ▁ ▁Post - war ▁rail road ▁construction , ▁mean while , ▁had ▁opened ▁up ▁the ▁state ' s ▁coal fields ▁to ▁major