Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site

The Battle of Perryville was fought on October 8, 1862.  It was the largest battle ever fought in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Almost 80,000 men representing 22 states were present in the immediate area, with half of that number actually engaged in close combat.  At the end of the day, 1,421 men lay dead, and another 990 would later die of their wounds.  An additional 4,628 men were wounded; many of these poor souls were permanently disabled.  A further 669 men were made prisoners of war. The butcher’s bill for that single day in Central Kentucky added up to 7,708 men; 2,411 of whom paid the ultimate price. 

Although there were larger and bloodier battles in the Civil War, few were more important in determining the outcome of the war.  On September 8, 1862, the Southern Confederacy was never closer to gaining their independence.  All seven of their armies were on the offensive, moving into or towards Northern territory.  England and France were very close to officially recognizing the Confederate States of America as a legitimate country which could have lead to foreign intervention on their behalf, guaranteeing their victory.  By sundown on October 8, all hopes of Southern victory were dashed and the Confederacy began its long death spiral into oblivion.  In that month, all of the Confederate Armies were turned back and the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, dashing any hopes of foreign intervention on behalf of the Confederacy.  The battle of Perryville was an integral part of this series of events.

Today, 745 acres of the Perryville Battlefield are preserved, managed and interpreted by the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. The battlefield park includes a newly-renovated museum, a meeting room, over ten miles of interpretive hiking trails with more than fifty interpretive signs, and a large collection of research resources.

The park has a great many woodland trails with historic rock fences and an abundance of native wildlife. Doctor’s Creek flows through the middle of the park and is lined in original stone fences.  There is also a long-term program to restore the battlefield to its 1862 appearance.  This effort involves the restoration of native grasses and flora, the demolition of post-war structures, and the preservation and re-construction of period structures.  The park has a working relationship with the Civil War Trust to add, preserve, and restore more critical battlefield lands.

The park staff organizes active Living History programming as well as the award-winning interactive School of the Soldier program that is offered to school groups.  The anniversary of the Battle of Perryville is commemorated every year on the first full weekend of October.   Please visit our website at www.perryvillebattlefield.org or call 859-332-8631 for more information.