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The
Battle of Perryville |
|
Confederate 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. |
|
The
Battle of Perryville Order
of Battle |
|
Army
of the Ohio |
|
Major
General Don Carlos Buell |
|
First
Army Corps |
|
Major
General Alexander McCook
THIRD
DIVISION Brigadier
General Lovell H. Rousseau 9th
Brigade 38th
Indiana - Col. Benjamin Scribner 17th
Brigade 42nd
Indiana - Col. James G. Jones 28th
Brigade 24th
Illinois 0 Capt. August Mauff TENTH
DIVISION Brig. Gen.
James S. Jackson (killed) 33rd
Brigade 80th
Illinois - Col. Thomas Allen 34th
Brigade 80th
Indiana - Lt. Col. Lewis Brook |
|
Second
Army Corps
|
|
Major
General Thomas L. Crittenden
FOURTH
DIVISION Brigadier
General William S. Smith 10th
Brigade 84th
Illinois - Col. Louis Wates 19th
Brigade 110th
Illinois - Col. Thomas Casey 22nd
Brigade 31st
Indiana - Lt. Col. John Osborn |
|
FIFTH
DIVISION Brigadier
General Horatio P. Van Cleve 11th
Brigade 79th
Indiana - Col. Frederick Knefler 14th
Brigade 44th
Indiana - Col. Hugh Reed 23rd
Brigade 35th
Indiana - Col. Bernard Mullen |
|
SIXTH
DIVISION Brigadier
General Thomas J. Wood 15th
Brigade 100th
Illinois - Col. Frederick Bartleson 20th
Brigade 51st
Indiana - Col. Abel Streight 21st
Brigade 15th
Indiana - Lt. Col. Gustavus Wood Colonel
Edward McCook's Cavalry Brigade 2nd
Indiana - Lt. Col. Robert Stewart Unattached
1st
Michigan Engineers and Mechanics - Col. William Innes |
|
Third
Army Corps
|
|
Major
General Charles C. Gilbert
FIRST
DIVISION Brigadier
General Albin Schoepf 1st
Brigade 82nd
Indiana - Col. Morton Hunter 2nd
Brigade 10th
Indiana - Col. William Kise 3rd
Brigade 87th
Indiana - Col. Kline Shryock |