Perryville

Maney’s Confederates immediately discovered the lethal danger of attacking the eight Union cannon on top of the ridge in front of you. The Confederates sought cover behind a split-rail fence, but the Union artillery shattered the rails, killing and wounding scores of soldiers. The Confederate attack slowed and then stopped.

With bullets smashing against the remaining wooden rails, the Confederates traded gunfire with Union infantry. As casualties mounted, the Southern officers knew their men had to take the hill. If they attempted a retreat, they would be cut apart by the Union artillery. Urging their men forward, the officers crossed the fence to lead a renewed charge.

The intensity of the Union defense atop this steep slope stopped the Confederates again, only halfway to their objective. Lying down to escape the deadly fire, Maney’s men desperately loaded and fired their one-shot muskets as best they could.

[As] soon as the fence was reached, in full view of the battery, such a storm of shell, grape, canister, and Minie balls was turned loose upon us as no troops scarcely ever before encountered. Large boughs were torn from the trees; the trees themselves shattered as if by lightning, and the ground plowed in deep furrows.

Confederate Lieutenant Colonel William Frierson

27th Tennessee Infantry

[We] come to a high fence at the edge of the woods, at which time it seemed impossible for humanity to go farther, such was the havoc and destruction that had taken place in [our] ranks.

Confederate Colonel George C. Porter

6th Tennessee Infantry

Marker can be reached from Park Road west of Battlefield Road (Kentucky Route 1920).

Courtesy hmdb.org

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