Preservation of the Perryville battlefield

[civilwartalk]

Here is an email I recently received:

"If Perryville had been an unequivocal Confederate victory, the whole course of the Civil War might have been different. Preservation of the Perryville battlefield is, therefore, crucial to understanding one of the most important turning points of the war."
- Dr. James M. McPherson, Pulitzer-prize winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom

On October 8, 1862, more than 40,000 Union and Confederate troops clashed in what became the largest battle to occur on Kentucky soil. Nearly 8,000 men were killed and wounded in the five-hour fight, and every home, church, and stable became field hospitals for the thousands of wounded and sick soldiers. The Confederates' failure to attain a decisive victory at Perryville ended Southern attempts to occupy Kentucky, influenced Northern congressional elections, and helped prevent the Confederates from securing European diplomatic recognition.

Because of the significance of this battle, and in memory of the thousands of soldiers who fought here, the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association (PBPA) is working to preserve and interpret this important site. Since 1995, the PBPA has increased the amount of protected battlefield land from 98 to more than 465 acres. In addition, we have secured several crucial structures, including headquarters buildings, field hospitals, and the future sites of a museum and visitors' center. Furthermore, we are poised to complete a new battlefield interpretive walking trail that includes more than 25 interpretive signs and six miles of mown paths. Our mission is to preserve this hallowed ground and to educate the public about what happened here nearly 139 years ago.

We hope that your organization, or your individual members, can join us in this important effort. All of our progress has been made thanks to our members, who contribute a minimum of $25 annually. We hope that your organization will consider joining the PBPA to become a partner in this exciting effort. Together, we can ensure that this battlefield is protected for future generations.

Historians like Dr. McPherson and Ed Bearss recognize Perryville as one of the turning points of the Civil War. For more information on the battle and our efforts, please visit our website at www.perryville.net, or feel free to contact me at this e-mail address.

If you are interested in helping preserve the Perryville battlefield with your financial support, please send your membership check to the address listed below.

Again, we hope that your organization can help us with this exciting effort. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Stuart W. Sanders, Director
Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association
P.O. Box 65
Perryville, KY 40468
phone: (859) 332-1862
website: http://www.perryville.net

"I was in every battle, skirmish, and march that was made by the First Tennessee Regiment during the war, and I do not remember of a harder contest and more evenly fought battle than that of Perryville."
- Private Sam Watkins, First Tennessee Infantry Regiment. From his memoirs, Company Aytch

[kentuckyrebel]

Alright now we're talking! I think this is a great idea that they want to preserve the Perryville Battlefield. Well I should since I am a Kentucky boy. But I don't think that if the South had won Perryville then the course of the whole Civil War would have changed. I think that if the South had one at Vicksburg, then maybe the course of the Civil War might have changed.