Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
Perryville Battlefield
Confederate General Braxton Bragg invaded Kentucky in the fall of 1862, and Union General Don Carlos Buell moved east from Louisville to prevent him from joining up with General Kirby Smith and his army from across the Mississippi. There was a drought, both armies were seeking water, and neither side knew how close it was to the other. They blundered into each other here, at Doctor’s Creek, on October 8.
The leading column, commanded by Union Brigadier General Philip Sheridan, first skirmished near the creek; then Bragg, unaware that he was outnumbered three to one, struck the Union left. He was repelled, but Buell’s reluctance to press the attack cost him an important victory. Half of his army took no part in the battle, and Bragg got away unmolested. The battle cost 4,211 Federal and 3,396 Confederate casualties.
By the end of the month, both armies were back in Tennessee, where Buell was soon replaced by William Rosecrans. Perryville was the last battle in Kentucky, the Confederacy’s last serious attempt to gain control of the state. All three Confederate invasions that fall had foundered—Earl Van Dorn and Sterling Price at Corinth, Mississippi, Robert E. Lee in Maryland, and now Bragg in Kentucky.
The Perryville Battlefield State Shrine is reached from the Bluegrass Pkwy. by taking Exit 59, then going twenty-four miles south on U.S. 127 through Harrodsburg to Danville. Then take the 127/150 bypass, go right (west) on U.S. 150, drive nine miles to Perryville, and go north on KY 1920 to the battlefield. The 250-acre park looks much as it did at the time of the battle. Still standing are the Crawford House, Bragg’s headquarters, and the Bottom House, the center of some of the heaviest fighting. A large map of the battle is in the small museum at the Visitor Center. Open April through October, 9:00-5:00, and other times by appointment. The battle is reenacted annually on the weekend closest to October 8. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children. For information phone 606-332-8631.
The whole town of Perryville (population 815), a National Register district, looks much as it did when the battle was fought nearby. For information phone 606-332-1862.
Shaker Village of Pleasant HillShaker Village, once the home of a religious community, was located on a turnpike that was used by both Union and Confederate troops throughout the war, particularly during the 1862 Kentucky campaign. The Shakers were Unionists and abolitionists, but their pacifism kept them out of the conflict. They were hospitable to both armies as they marched through the village, and nursed the wounded after the Battle of Perryville. Shaker Village, which was founded in 1805, has been restored and twenty-seven original buildings are open. Guests stay in “family houses” and the meetinghouse. In the Shaker tradition, the rooms are simple but comfortable and charming. Meals are prepared from Shaker recipes and served at the Trustee’s House, where the leaders of the village once conducted the necessary business with the outside world. A few days at Shaker Village is a serene experience in a hectic world.
Address: 3501 Lexington Rd., Harrodsburg, KY 40330; tel: 606-734-5411.
Accommodations: Eighty-one guest rooms, including some suites, in historic buildings and small houses, all with private baths.
Amenities: Air-conditioning, off-street parking, lectures, exhibitions of Shaker crafts, tours, shops, riverboat excursions from April through October. Dining room for lunch and dinner.
Rates: $$. Visa, MasterCard, personal checks, and cash. Restrictions: No pets, restricted smoking.