Battle of Perryville
Perryville, Kentucky, USA
What happened
The Union Army of the Ohio under Don Carlos Buell fought the Confederate Army of Mississippi under Braxton Bragg. Confederate troops struck one Union corps and pushed it back. Buell was a few miles away and did not learn of the battle until late in the day, so most of his army never fought. Union reinforcements held the line, and that night Bragg withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It ended the Confederate invasion of Kentucky, which stayed under Union control for the rest of the war. Historians say it helped stop Europe from recognising the Confederacy.
What came next
Bragg left Kentucky, and Buell was replaced by William Rosecrans that October.
Did you know?
Two days after the battle, a cold front finally ended the summer drought that had parched the soldiers.
Timeline
- 8 October 1862Battle of Perryville.
- 24 October 1862Buell is replaced by Rosecrans.