Battle of Perryville
Love: 894 wounded: 2,911 missing / captured: 471
Love: 510 wounded: 2,635 missing / captured: 251
Chattanooga I - Murfreesboro I - Richmond - Munfordville - Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin River, was the last battle of the Confederate " Heartland " campaign during the American Civil War and took place on 8 October 1862. The battle resulted in a victory despite the task of Kentucky by the Confederate forces.
Starting position
Across the Mississippi Confederate Army stood under General Braxton Bragg and the Ohio Army of Northern States under Major General Don Carlos Buell, wherein substantially only a single corps was involved in the fighting of the latter.
On October 7, 1862, the Mississippi Army went into force of 16,800 men with two wings under Major General Leonidas Polk and William J. Hardee on Chaplin River in position. The right wing consisted of a division under Benjamin F. Cheatham, the left from the James P. Anderson's divisions and Simon Bolivar Buckner. As both armies suffered from lack of water, with Brigadier General Philip "Little Phil" Sheridan with his division on the water and met Polk. Sheridan was able to conquer just a few puddles. In the early morning hours of October 8, Sheridan attacked the Confederates at once and secured the control of a creek and the surrounding area. Then the meantime arrived I Corps (McCook ) and II Corps went ( Thomas L. Crittenden ) left and right by Charles C. Gilbert III. Corps in position.
Bragg, who thought the main thrust of the Union Army was aimed at Frankfort, Kentucky, and did not know of the presence of Crittenden Corps, Polk gave the order to attack. Polk sent his division to attack the left flank of the Union, which was held by newly recruited men. The attack rolled the "green" troops and drove them over a mile before it.
Meanwhile, the previously inactive according to the commands Gilbert Sheridan was attacked by two brigades of Confederate forces. The counter-attack she threw back behind Perryville. The two miles west of the battlefield in stock Buell, who had fallen from his horse and could not ride, got due to an " acoustic shadow " nothing of the battle, until a dispatch rider informed him. A use of his remaining men no longer allowed the encroaching darkness.
A real winner there was not after the battle. The next day, when the Union was gathering to attack, the Confederates were gone in the direction of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, where they were joined by the troops of Edmund Kirby Smith. After further skirmishes Bragg decided to dodge to Tennessee. Buell the rebel army had been forced to give up their autumn offensive, the Confederates but not destroyed.