Perryville Battlefield: One of the Best Preserved Civil War Battlefields

Perryville Battlefield is about an hour’s drive from Lexington and is widely considered one of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields. Today, it’s a Kentucky State Historic Site visited by more than 100,000 people yearly. 

The Battle of Perryville

The battle was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, between the U.S. Army of the Ohio, commanded by U.S. Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell, and the Confederate Army of Mississippi, commanded by Gen. Braxton Bragg. 

Perryville would be the last significant engagement of the Confederate’s “Kentucky Campaign,” which aimed to bring neural Kentucky into the Confederacy. Kentucky-born President Abraham Lincoln knew the strategic value of controlling Kentucky was enormous. “I think to lose Kentucky is nearly to lose the whole game.” Lincoln wrote those words in a letter.  The control of the Bluegrass State provided access to the Ohio River and to the railroads in the region, all of which were used as military supply routes.

Kentucky’s Largest and Deadliest Battle

The fight would become the largest Civil War battle in Kentucky. The battle was also the most destructive. More than 7,600 men were killed, wounded, or missing. Considering the strength of both armies was 38,000 combined, that means 1 in 5 who fought, died, were injured, or were missing. It’s fair to say that Perrysville was a very bloody Civil War battle.  

“The spectacle presented by the battlefield was enough to make angels weep.” – Henry Fales Perry, Private 38th Indiana.

Soon, the cannons were silent, and smoke settled. The Union would keep control of Kentucky for the rest of the war. The Confederate Army lost fewer troops but still suffered a tactical loss. Still outnumbered, General Bragg’s Army of Mississippi was forced to retreat that night. In their haste, they left their dead and most of their wounded lying on the battlefield. 

“All around us was the evidence of the death struggle the day before. Bodies of men and horses lay scattered about. In the fields and by the roadside every house and barn was filled with the maimed and dying and the dead … Many of them were in the most horrible condition that the mind can conceive. Some were shot through the head, body or limbs. Others mangled by fragments of shell and all suffering the greatest torments.” – Anonymous Union Soldier

Burying the Dead

The Union Army buried their dead, which were later moved to Camp Nelson National Cemetery.  The Confederate dead, for the most part, remained unburied or placed in shallow trenches.  Hogs were rooting up bodies within days, and hundreds of vultures and crows scoured the battlefield. 

In an act of mercy, Henry P. Bottom, a farmer who owned much of the land upon which the battle was fought, buried many of the southern bodies in two large pits. Bottom recorded as many names as he could, but most of the soldiers buried here remain only known to God to this day. It’s thought around 200 soldiers were buried in the mass grave, and in 1902, the Commonwealth of Kentucky erected a monument at the Confederate cemetery.  

Despite the best efforts from many people to mark and identify burial sites, scores of unmarked graves still exist on and around the battlefield. 

Heads up, a little side note. It’s also rumored the battlefield is haunted by the tormented spirits of those killed there.

Visiting Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site

We visited on a cool and dreary January morning. We were the first people to pull into the small parking lot. We hopped out and grabbed a brochure. Not quite sure what to expect, we walked over and checked out the monument dedicated to the Union Army. Then, we made our way to the Confederate Cemetery mentioned above. 

We drove around the park, checking out the highlights and strolling down a few of the nearly 20 miles of trails. 

Walking around, it was easy to understand why Perryville is considered one of the best-preserved battlefields. The site is more than 1,200 acres and looks essentially the same as in 1862. Walking the trails, you are treated with the same views that soldiers saw. 

Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site is one of the stops along Kentucky’s Lincoln Heritage Trail.

How long does it take to visit?

We spent about 2 hours exploring the battlefield but could have easily spent much longer. There is a ton to see here. 

If you are roaming around Kentucky or live nearby, make sure to check out the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. It will not disappoint. The history is tremendous, but honestly, the feeling of following in their footsteps is both exhilarating and solemn.