Chronology of Events

The Battle of Perryville

Legend:
Confederate
Union
October 8, 1862
2:30 a.m. Maj. Gen. Alex. McCook (at Mackville) receives orders issued at 7:00 p.m. on October 7 to march to Perryville.
2:45 Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas receives marching orders issued at 8:00 p.m. on October 7 to march to Perryville.
3:00 7th Arkansas holds Peters Hill, Col. Dan McCook's Brigade moves forward along the Springfield Pike.
5:00 Dan McCook clears Confederates off Peters Hill.
5:00 After breakfast, Alex. McCook marches on Perryville, some ten miles away.
6:00 Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk informs Gen. Braxton Bragg that battle will be made "vigorously."
6:30 Brig. Gen. St. John Liddell's 5th and 7th Arkansas tries to dislodge Dan McCook off Peters Hill and fails.
7:00 Thomas begins marching.
7:00 Col. John Wharton's Cavalry ordered to cross the Chaplin River to the right.
7:00 Col. Jospeh Wheeler's Cavalry ordered to picket the left down the Lebanon Road.
7:00 Brig. Gen. Philip Sheridan arrives at Peters Hill with two brigades. Maj. Gen. Charles C. Gilbert arrives, and decides to send Capt. Ebenezer Gay's cavalry forward.
7:30 Gay's cavalry fails, and is repulsed just east of Peters Hill.
8:30 Sheridan sends Lt. Col. Bernard Laiboldt's Brigade against the 5th and 7th Arkansas. The Confederates are pushed back across Bull Run Creek.
9:00 Sheridan engages Liddell on Bottom Hill.
9:15 Alex. McCook reaches the Benton Rd / Mackville Pike intersection.
9:45 Rousseau (of McCook) reaches the Russell House and see Sheridan's fight with Liddell.
9:45 Bragg arrives from Harrodsburg & sets up headquarters at the Crawford House.
9:45 Bragg does not believe Maj. Gen. D.C. Buell's entire army is converging on Perryville, and decides to make a personal reconnaissance.
10:45 Liddell orders his force to back to Perryville main defense line.
10:45 Wheeler runs into Maj. Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden's infantry on the Lebanon Rd some three miles from Perryville, and falls back.
10:45 Bragg returns to the Crawford Hous from his reconnaissance.
11:00 Gilbert is astonished to see Sheridan so far forward & orders him to return to Peters Hill. He classifies Sheridan's success as "an unauthorized move."
11:00 Buell, at the Dorsey House (one mile west of Peters Hill), is concerned about his planned attack.
11:00 Alex. McCook sets out a battle line centered on the Russell House.
11:00 Bragg makes plans for a Confederate attack. Maj. Gen. Ben Cheatham moves to the right to take position near the Goodnight House.
11:00 Maj. Gen. Simon B. Buckner moves forward to occupy Chatham Hill. Capt. Put. Durden's Battery goes into position on Chatham Hill.
Noon Rousseau orders Col. William H. Lytle forward to Doctors Creek to get water. The 10th Ohio is east of Doctors Creek in a skirmish line.
Noon Alex. McCook reaches Buell at the Dorsey House, and is told the attack is called off for the day.
12:10 Wharton receives word that substantial and unexpected Federals are proceeding down the Mackville Rd. Polk, at the Goodnight House, concludes to wait for reinforcements. Bragg is growing more impatient.
12:30 10th Ohio skirmishers fall back as Buckner engages with Brig. Gen. Bushrod Johnson and Brig. Gen. S.A.M. Wood.
12:30 Buell decides to delay his attack until the next day. Buell concludes to delay his attack until the next day.
12:30 Captains Darden, Charles Lumsden, Henry Semple and William Carnes Batteries open on Rousseau. Capt. Loomis opens return fire. Capt. Peter Simonson is ordered forward on the left of Loomis.
12:30 Rousseau places Col. Leonard Harris's Brigade to the left of Lytle, who was in place astride the Mackville Rd just behind the Squire Bottom House and overlooking Doctors Creek.
12:45 Rousseau orders Col. George Webster's Brigade forward and extends the line to the left and now covers the Widow Gibson Cabin.
13:00 Alex. McCook moves forward to the Lookis / Simonson Battery positions, and unable to see Confederate infantry, orders them to cease firing. Recall he has been told by Buell there will be no battle this day. McCook becomes aware of the hill on the far left that overlooks the entire Federal position in this sector.
13:00 Wheeler moves forward against Crittenden (Wheeler has no real idea as to the size of the Federal force in his front).
13:20 Bragg reaches Polk, orders Cheatham further to the right to Walker's Bend.
13:30 Federal skirimishers reach the bluffs overlooking Walkers Bend, encounter Confederate skirmishers, but do not realize the Confederate strength behind the skirmishers.
13:30 Wharton moves out of Walker's Bend to secure the Confederate right.
13:30 Buell, at the Dorsey House, is informed of the "arrival" of Crittenden's Corps.
13:45 Brig. Generals William R. Terrill and James S. Jackson are in position on the left, anchored on Open Hill. Capt. Charles Parson's Battery cover them. Terrill prepares to move forward to get water..
13:45 Brig. Gen. Dan Adams Brigade goes into position on Bottom Hill, just north of the Springfield Pike. Col. Preston Smith arrives on his right. Adams sees no Federals in his front on the Springfield Pike..
13:45 Polk and Cheatham see smoke from battery fire, and conclude they are already on the flank of the Federal line. They are wrong. They order Brig. Gen. Daniel Donelson's Brigade to move forward.
14:00 Terrill's Brigade reaches Open Hill and anchors the Federal left.
14:00 Buell and Gilbert, still at the Dorsey House, hear artillery fire. Buell has Gilbert send a message forward "to stop that useless waste of powder." Buell has Gilbert stay for dinner rather than move to the front as his subordinate desired.
14:15 Donelson moves to the attack, but is not on the Federal flank. He is opposite Webster's Brigade, with Terrill and Lytle on both flanks.
14:15 Sheridan receives the order from Gilbert, and chooses subsequently to literally obey the order.
14:30 Col. John Savage's 16th Tennessee seems to appear out of nowhere to attack Webster. Col. Thomas M. Jones's Brigade is forming on the left of Donelson. A.P. Stewart's Brigade of Cheatham's Division arrives on top of the bluff at the Dug Road.
14:30 Crittenden has all of his forces up, works to extend his lines north to link up with Gilbert on the Springfield Pike.
14:45 Rousseau orders up Harris in support of Webster. Loomis has exhausted his long-range ammunition and falls back near the Russell House.
14:45 Jones assaults the 10th Wisconsin and the 10th Ohio position (the left) of Lytle's position. Bushrod Johnson is moving down Chatham Hill, with A.P. Stewart forming in reserve. Brig. Gen. George Maney's Brigade is moving to the Confederate right to confront Terrill.
14:50 Brig. Gen. James Jackson is hit twice and dies shortly after.
14:50 Bushrod Johnson comes under fire from Capt. Cuthbert Slocumb's Battery while moving down Chatham Hill. Johnson's advance is completely disorganized.
14:50 Maney begins his assault on Open Hill. He gets about halfway there, but is pinned down by Parson's Battery and the infantry of Terrill.
15:00 Maj. Gen. William J. Hardee or Buckner orders Adams's Brigade forward.
15:00 Bushrod Johnson is in the middle of a nasty fire-fight at the H.P. Bottom House with Lytle's Brigade.
15:00 Slocumb's Battery moves forward, crosses Bull Run and Doctor's Creek and goes into action on the hill 200 yards south of the Bottom House (current site of the barn).
15:00 Preston Smith is ordered to Perryville to watch the Mitchellsburg and Lebanon Roads. Bragg is still unaware of the potential size of Buell's force. Buell is still unaware a major engagement is underway.
15:10 Adams is moving forward, up a ravine and cannot be detected by Lytle. Sheridan, on Peters Hill, can see Adams but cannot, or chooses to do nothing.
15:10 Polk and Bragg, stationed on the bluffs overlooking Walker's Bend, order A.P. Stewart forward.
15:10 Sheridan spots Col. Samuel Powell's Brigade forming just south of the Springfield Pike.
15:15 Simonson, almost out of ammunition, has to withdraw on the left of Lytle's line.
15:15 Terrill, fearful he cannot hold Open Hill, orders Parson's Battery to withdraw.
15:15 Cheatham orders Brig. Gen. John C. Brown and Cleburne forward. Cleburne moves to Bushrod Johnson's sector (the H.P. Bottom House) and Brown to the area being attacked by Jones.
15:20 Jones's Brigade is repulsed by the left of Lytle's Brigade.
15:20 Stewart aims for a gap between Donelson and Maney.
15:20 Maney forces the crest of Open Hill. Parsons can only bring off one gun.
15:30 Stewart and Maney have taken Open Hill. Terrill's Brigade is in retreat on the McCook's left.
15:30 Maney prepares to move on Terrill's second line. Col. John C. Starkweather is in position behind the Benton Road. Maney will have to attack through a cornfield located in a depression to reach the Benton Road.
15:40 Cleburne atacks Lytle at the H.P. Bottom House while Adams falls on the right flank protected by the 15th Kentucky. Sheridan, after a request from McCook, orders a battery to fire on Adams.
15:45 Brown's Brigade falls back. The brigade loses its colonels in very short order.
15:45 Lytle's line collapses.
15:45 Donelson is out of ammunition and falls back.
15:55 While trying to rally his brigade, Terrill is struck by a shell fragment and mortally wounded.
16:00 Maney is attacking Starkweather across the Benton Road. Stewart is battling Webster and Harris in the center of McCook's line. Lytle is falling back along the Mackville Road towards the Russell House. Loomis and Simonson have replenished ammunition and are covering Lytle's retreat.
16:00 McCook is directing his front at the Russell House. He asks for support from Brig. Gen. Albin Schoepf's reserve division of Gilbert's Corps, and sends a courier to Buell to ask for reinforcements.
16:00 Lytle is severely wounded and captured.
16:00 Gilbert and Buell hear cannonading to Sheridan's front, and finally conclude a battle must be going on.
16:10 Maney has battery support in place, and forces Starkweather to pull back his guns. Two field pieces are lost in Capt. Asahel Bush's Battery.
16:10 Crittenden continues extending towards the Springfield Pike. Col. Samuel Powell's Brigade is about to attack Gilbert's entire corps just south of the Springfield Pike.
16:10 Gilbert agrees to reinforce McCook, and orders Schoepf to move up the Benton Road. This also protects Gilbert's left flank.
16:10 Buell finally learns of the problems of McCook's Corps. Crittenden is ordered to send a division to the center.
16:15 Powell's single brigade attacks three Federal brigades. Sheridan's forced inactivity has led the Confederates to incorrectly conclude Federal presence is weak here.
16:20 Adams presses the Russell House position. Cleburne pushes northwest from the Mackville Road towards the rear of Webster's Brigade. The remnants of Lytle's Brigade are frantically trying to replenish ammunition.
16:25 A.P. Stewart falls back from Webster's defensive line. Webster spots Cleburne's command approaching and changes front to face him.
16:25 Maney crosses the Benton Road to attack Starkweather; without the support of A.P. Stewart, he fails.
16:30 Along the Springfield Pike, Powell pressures Sheridan hard enough for Sheridan to note he "was hard pressed."
16:30 Webster is killed. His brigade abandons its position and falls back.
16:30 Cleburne's advance is stopped by remnants of Lytle's and Webster's Brigades.
16:30 S.A.M. Wood ordered to cross Doctor's Creek to support Cleburne.
16:45 Donelson reforms to support A.P. Stewart's retreating brigade.
16:45 With Cleburne repulsed, Rousseau forms a strong defense line around the Russell House.
16:45 With Cleburne repulsed, Rousseau forms a strong defense line around the Russell House.
17:00 Capt. Samuel J. Harris loses four guns to the Confederates.
17:00 Hardee orderes his last reserve, the brigade of Liddell forward.
17:00 Powell finally realizes he is greatly out-manned and finally retreats along the Springfield Pike towards Perryville.
17:10 Col. William P. Carlin pursues Powell back into Perryville.
17:15 The sun begins to set. Donelson, Wood, and parts of Stewart are moving forward towards the Federal center. Adams attacks the Russell House position to the south of the Mackville Road.
17:25 Col. Michael Gooding and Brig. Gen. James B. Steedman's Brigades, of Gilbert's Corps are moving to support McCook.
17:30 S.A.M. Wood pushes forward in the center but cannot make progress. Adams, Cleburne and Maney have fallen back.
17:30 Gooding's Brigade is marching down the Benton Road to McCook's relief.
17:30 S.A.M. Wood's attack on Rousseau still has a chance of success, but Gooding arrives to form a new line.
17:45 Sheridan's artillery on Peters Hill fires on Adams.
18:00 Powell forms in Peryville on the eastern bank of the Chaplin River. Carlin realizes he cannot push the issue as darkness closes in.
18:10 Inexplicably, Crittenden believes a large Confederate force is still in his front on the Lebanon Road.
18:15 S.A.M. Wood crashes against Gooding's line and cannot break it.
18:30 Wheeler pulls in his cavalry to the eastern bank of the Chaplin River.
18:45 Liddell attacks Gooding as Steedman is placed in a second line behind the Russell House. S.A.M. Wood is falling back. It is now almost dark.
18:45 Polk is at the front near the Russell House and is nearly captured when he rides up to an Indiana regiment.
19:00 Liddell clears Gooding off the Russell House / Mackville Pike line, but cannot move further.
19:00 Gilbert, Sheridan and Buell dine at the Dorsey House. In spite of dinner, Sheridan later claims Buell didn't know what was going on.
19:30 Battle ends.
20:00 Bragg returns to the Crawford House and begins to have second thoughts about his position. He asks to see his army commanders.
21:00 Rousseau reports to Buell in person; later reports Buell did not "appreciate the severity of the fighting."
21:30 McCook reviews Rousseau's final line and doesn't like what he sees. He decides to find a better position. The Federals are fearful of a night attack.
21:30 Bragg finally realizes Buell's entire army is in front. Realizing Buell would move to cut him off from Danville, he orders Brig. Gen. Humphrey Marshall and Maj. Gen. E.K. Smith to concentrate their forces with him. Bragg decides to retreat.
21:45 McCook reports to Buell in person. He asks for two brigades to reinforce him because his corps is badly cut up, but is refused. McCook is "vexed" with Buell.
23:45 Confederate forces fall back behind the Chaplin River. The retreat to Tennessee commences.