PERRYVILLE BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION PURCHASES 12 ACRES OF BATTLEFIELD LAND

Perryville, KY-Just a little over 139 years after the Battle of Perryville was fought, the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association (PBPA) has protected another 12 acres of battlefield land. On October 16, 2001, the PBPA secured this property, which is recognized by historians as a key position on the battlefield. Now, nearly 500 acres are protected at the site of Kentucky's largest Civil War battle.

Located northwest of town at the intersection of Whites Road and Hayes May Road, these 12 acres witnessed some of the heaviest fighting as both flanks of the Union army fell back to this area. At nightfall, the battle ended around this site, which is historically known as the "Dixville Crossroads."

According to Auburn University professor Dr. Kenneth Noe, author of the new Perryville: This Grand Havoc of Battle, "The intersection was nothing less than the key position on the field that day, as well as the scene of the battle's violent climax. This property is a vital addition to the Perryville battlefield."

Also near this property, the 22nd Indiana Infantry Regiment suffered nearly 70% casualties, which represents the largest percentage loss of any regiment during the battle. Confederate General Leonidas Polk, who witnessed the fighting here, remarked that "the slaughter of that Indiana regiment was the greatest I had ever seen in the war."

After the fight, Confederate Brigadier General St. John R. Liddell said that "the Federal force had disappeared everywhere. The ground before my line was literally covered with the dead and dying."

All modern structures on the property, including a house and several outbuildings, will be removed to restore the land back to its 1862 appearance. The property will be deeded to the Kentucky Department of Parks, who manages the battlefield, and eventually the site will be interpreted and opened to the public. It is the first land preserved around this important intersection.

Fought on October 8, 1862, the Battle of Perryville was the largest engagement on Kentucky soil. More than 7,500 soldiers were killed and wounded, and the battle kept Kentucky in Union hands for the remainder of the war. Several prominent historians, like the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dr. James McPherson, regard the Battle of Perryville as one of the turning points of the Civil War.

Since 1995, the PBPA has increased the amount of protected battlefield land from 98 to nearly 500 acres. The Association has also protected several important structures, including Confederate General Braxton Bragg's headquarters and eight buildings along Merchants' Row, the town's 19th century commercial district.

PBPA PURCHASES HISTORIC MERCHANT'S ROW:

The Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association has purchased eight buildings along Perryville's historic Merchants' Row, the town's 19th century commercial district. Four of the buildings will be restored and opened as museums, while the remaining structures will continue to house businesses.

Once the buildings on the Row are restored, Perryville will be one of the few sites in the nation to have both a Civil War battlefield and an unaltered 19th century mercantile district. The purchase of these historic structures enhances the PBPA's ongoing plans to preserve and interpret Kentucky's largest Civil War battlefield and adjoining town.

"This blend of civilian and military history will make Perryville one of the top tourist destinations in the Commonwealth," said David Morgan, executive director of the Kentucky Heritage Council.

The PBPA also hopes that this purchase will support the economic vitality of Perryville. The Association hopes to expand the availability of commercial space along the Row, allowing more businesses to use this historic district and generating additional tourism dollars for the town.

Perryville's historic Merchants' Row was built in the 1840s along the west bank of the Chaplin River. This area served as the hub of commercial and social activity for 19th century Perryville. The Row provided a central location for residents to buy goods and catch up on the latest town news.

The buildings are classic Greek revival architecture with dry-laid Kentucky limestone foundations. Many of the buildings served as field hospitals following the October 8, 1862, Battle of Perryville. Furthermore, late in the Civil War, Confederate guerrillas Marcellus Jerome Clarke ("Sue Mundy") and Sam "One Arm" Berry, robbed the businesses on the Row.

The PBPA purchased eight buildings along the Row. These include the Parks General Store, the Green Drug Store, the home and office of Dr. Jefferson J. Polk, and the Karrick-Parks House. These structures will likely be restored and opened as museums.

"We are thrilled with the purchase of Merchants' Row," said Clarence Wyatt, president of the PBPA's board of directors. "The Row will increase economic opportunity for the town of Perryville while offering a unique taste of 19th century life in the Commonwealth to all visitors."

PBPA PURCHASES CANNON CARRIAGES FOR BATTLEFIELD:

As part of our ongoing commitment to interpret Kentucky's largest Civil War battleground, the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association (PBPA) has purchased two reproduction cannon carriages for the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. Two original cannon tubes have been placed on the carriages, and these pieces now mark artillery positions from the October 8, 1862, Battle of Perryville. At least one of these positions is on land preserved by the PBPA.

"It is nice that, after a decade, these guns can go back on outside display," said Kurt Holman, manager of the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. "This gift from the PBPA will greatly help our interpretation of the battlefield."

According to Holman, the pieces mark artillery positions commanded by Union Captain Peter Simonson and Confederate Lieutenant William Turner. Simonson's battery helped defend the center of the Union battle line, while Turner's battery aided Brigadier General George Maney's assault against the Union left flank.

Both cannons were donated to the battlefield after a 1940s scrap metal drive. While the pieces have been displayed outside in the past, the existing carriages were rotten, so the tubes were moved indoors. For more than a decade they were in the battlefield museum, displayed without carriages.

One cannon is a model 1819 six-pounder that was cast in 1821. Only 74 of these pieces were made, and only 32 are known to survive. Cast by Joseph McClurg in Pittsburgh, PA, this model was known as the "walking stick" because of its length. The second tube is an iron six-pounder that was likely cast before 1820. Both cannons sat at the entrance to the Perryville Confederate cemetery for many years.

The donation of these cannon carriages goes hand-in-hand with the opening of the PBPA's new battlefield interpretive trail. Containing several miles of mown paths and more than 25 interpretive signs, this self-guided tour interprets newly-acquired battlefield land for the first time.

PBPA BATTLEFIELD INTERPRETIVE TRAIL COMPLETE:

Visitors to the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site now have a great opportunity to learn about the battle, see much of the land where the battle took place, and enjoy the outdoors with a new interpretive trail, implemented by the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association (PBPA). This interpretive trail, reported in the last issue of Action Front, is now complete.

The trail includes approximately six miles of mown paths and 26 fiberglass-imbedded interpretive signs. Signs include text describing the battle, illustrations, photographs, detailed maps, and quotes from soldiers who fought in each area. In addition, there is a new brochure that includes an overview of the battle and a map of the self-guided trail system. For the first time, visitors will have access to newly-acquired battlefield land, and will have the battle interpreted for them at these locations.

SLEETTOWN GRANT COMPLETED

Sleettown, the African-American community situated northwest of Perryville during the late 19th century, has finally received the coverage it always deserved. This community of freed slaves provided a focal point where, according to the new Sleettown brochure, "one fully realizes the American dream -- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." This brochure was produced by the PBPA through a grant by the African-American Heritage Commission.

This small community is known as the "Gateway to Freedom" because many former slaves lived here after national emancipation. Sleettown had its own store, a "honky-tonk" restaurant, homes, and a cemetery. An integrated community, Sleettown thrived in the segregated South during a time when many black and white families did not interact. According to the brochure, "Even though Sleettown remained a black community, the relationship with neighboring whites was open and friendly. Often blacks and whites would come together in the evenings to visit or play a game of cards."

The brochure and a more comprehensive study are available at the PBPA office. The research of this project was funded, in part, by a grant awarded to the PBPA from the Kentucky African-American Heritage Commission (AAHC), which is part of the Kentucky Heritage Council.

The PBPA would like to thank Bertha Brown, Amelia Burton, Margaret Kannensohn, Mary Quinn Kerbaugh of Preston-Osborne, Carol Reed, Anne Sleet, Hattie Sleet, Mary Alma Sleet, David Morgan and Richard Jett of the Kentucky Heritage Council, and Nicole Harris of the African-American Heritage Commission for all of their hard work and support for the Sleettown project.