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Saturday, October 11
9:00 A.M. Military Camps and Living History Village Open to the Public
Military camps will open to the public. Visitors can experience the camp life of the typical Civil War soldier. Visitors will be able to observe ration issues, mail call, pay call and drill. The Living History Village will recreate the town of Perryville shortly after the Battle of Perryville.
9:00 A.M. Perryville Battlefield Museum Opens $$
The Perryville Battlefield Museum contains exhibits and artifacts that illustrate the story of both the Battle and Perryville’s citizens.
9:00 A.M. Kentucky Blood Center Blood Drive Large Picnic Shelter
One pint of blood saves three lives. This is your opportunity to remember those who fought here at Perryville and those who currently are in our Armed Forces. Sign up sheets are available at the Information Area - Please Give Blood Today.
10:00 A.M Kentucky History Mobile Opens Large Picnic Shelter
This 300-square-foot exhibit sponsored by the Kentucky Historical Society explores Lincoln’s frontier childhood, his years from log house to the White House, and his struggles to end slavery and lead the nation through the Civil War. The exhibit contains artifacts, images, as well as audio, video and interactive elements to appeal to all age groups.
11:00 A.M. Sam Watkins and Perryville by Keynote Speaker Ruth Hill Fulton McAllister Large Picnic Shelter
Ms. McAllister will give her keynote talk about her great grandfather Sam Watkins. Ms. McAllister will illuminate Sam Watkins the man and tell his story. She will highlight Sam’s desire to publish his memoirs. His copy of the book was lost and then later found and republished under the supervision of Ms. McAllister. After her presentation the author will be available to sign the book.
12:00 P.M. Lincoln and the Speeds Large Picnic Shelter
Bryan S. Bush, Civil War Historian from Louisville, Kentucky, will speak on Abraham Lincoln and his friendship with the Speeds. How with Lincoln's help the Speeds helped saved Kentucky for the Union. After his talk Mr. Bush will sign copies of his new book; Lincoln and the Speeds.
12:30 P.M. UDC Ceremony at CS Monument CS Cemetery
The United Daughters of the Confederacy will hold a memorial service for the honored Confederate dead that perished on the field at Perryville. The ceremony will include poetry reading, benediction, volley salute by honor guards, and the retirement of colors.
12:30 P.M. Blue or Gray: Finding Your Kentucky Civil War Ancestor CW Hall
Don Rightmyer, editor of the Kentucky Historical Society’s Kentucky Ancestors magazine, will share how you can determine if your Kentucky ancestors served during the Civil War. Mr. Rightmyer, a Kentucky native, has been active giving battlefield tours and 1862 campaign talks at Perryville for several years. He previously worked as a research librarian at the Kentucky Historical Society and the Boyle County Public Library in Danville.
2:00 P.M. Fight for the Gibson Farm Part 1
“The Fight for the Gibson Farm”
Although the Battle of Perryville actually started 2 miles south of here with an early-morning skirmish, the major fighting did not begin until 2:00 PM when Confederate General Daniel Donelson’s Brigade attacked with three veteran regiments toward the Widow Gibson Farm. Only one Confederate regiment, the 16th Tennessee, actually succeeded in going that far. Quickly recovering from the surprise, Union troops (the 24th Illinois and the 2nd, 33rd and 50th Ohio regiments) plugged the gap and forced the Tennesseans back. After being reinforced, the Confederates renewed their attack and eventually captured the small farm.
Colonel John Savage of the 16th Tennessee described the fighting:
“While standing near [the Widow Gibson Cabin], a Miniè ball passed through my leg without breaking the bone, and the wood off a canister shot struck the cabin, and glancing knocked me down, paralyzing me for a time”.
The “Widow Gibson” herself was hiding under the floor of her cabin with her three small boys.
“I did start to go, but I seed the Yankees comin’ thick, and I hurried back t’other way; and jest as I e’enamost got to the brush yonder, I seed the Confeds jest a swarmin out of the woods. So, seeing I was between two fires, I rund back to the house . . . I cut a hole in the floor with the ax, and hid between the jists. SKEERED! LORD BLESS YOU, SKEERD! THAT AINT NO NAME FOR IT!” - Mary Jane “The Widow” Gibson.
When the fight ended late in the afternoon, the Tennesseans held the ground, but the 16th Tennessee had lost almost ⅔ of its men capturing the farm. The opposing Union regiments lost a quarter of their men. The fight was short but intense. After the fight for the little farmstead, the battle moved farther west and ended at nightfall. Hopelessly outnumbered, the Confederates withdrew towards Harrodsburg that night and Union forces occupied the battlefield the next morning.
A war correspondent traveling with the 2nd Ohio described the cabin the day after the battle:
“The chimney had been partly torn away by a cannon ball. A shell had struck the roof of the building, ripping open quite a gutter in the rafters. A dead horse lay in the little yard directly in front of the house, actually blocking up the doorway, while shot and shell were scattered in every direction about the field in the front and rear of this solitary homestead. A board had been taken from the floor, exhibiting a large hole between two solid beams or logs”
3:30 P.M. Back to the Bluegrass: Mary Todd Comes Home Large Picnic Shelter
Kentucky History Center Museum Theater Outreach Program
Performer Donna Ison gives a stirring performance as Mary Todd Lincoln. During the 15 minute play set in 1848, visitors will meet Mary Todd who has returned to Kentucky from Washington and encounters a group of well-wishers. The long trip by train, the strains of being wife to a congressman, and memories of her childhood make this an emotional homecoming. The play was written and is performed by Donna Ison.
4:00 P.M. Blood Drive Concludes
5:00 P.M. Kentucky History Mobile Closes
5:00 P.M. Ghosts of Perryville $$ Large picnic shelter
Ghost Chasers International, Inc. under the direction of Patti Starr will present a thrilling seminar, “The Truth about Ghosts” for everyone interested in ghosts, spirits and paranormal activity. Patti Starr is an experienced and accomplished paranormal investigator. Over many years of paranormal research and ghost investigations, Patti Starr has captured hundreds of weird anomalies in explicit photos, including shocking images in videos and unnerving voices and audios from haunted locations.
After a short historic presentation about the battle, ticket holders will be able to investigate the haunted grounds of Perryville Battlefield. Accompanied by certified ghost hunters visitors will try to collect their own evidence of the spirits that call the Perryville Battlefield their home.
Tickets may be purchased at the large picnic shelter prior to the presentation. $10.00 per person
7:00 P.M. Olde Towne Brass Concert Large Picnic Shelter
Olde Towne Brass performs in the manner of Early American and Civil War bands, playing original Civil War Music on actual Civil War Over- The-Shoulder Brass Horns. Olde Town Brass, with their special emphasis on the War Between the States, presents programs that provide their listeners with history and information about the composer and the song. Their renditions of these timeless and compelling tunes are played just as they were more than 135 years ago. The music library of Olde Towne Brass includes over 2500 songs of both the Confederate and Union Bands which have been compiled from various resources across the country including the Library of Congress and the Museum of the Confederacy.
7:00 P.M. Perryville Battlefield Museum Closes
9:00 P.M. Living History Village Closes to the Public
Sunday, October 12
9:00 A.M. Military Camps and Living History Village Open to the Public
9:00 A.M. Perryville Battlefield Museum Opens
10:00 A.M. Kentucky History Mobile Opens
11:00 A.M. Abraham Lincoln, “I, too, am a Kentuckian” Large Picnic Shelter
Kentucky Chautauqua performer Jim Sayre brings Abraham Lincoln to life. Born on a farm in what is now Larue County, Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln spent his early years in the Commonwealth. Partly because of his father’s opposition to slavery, his family moved to Indiana when he was seven, and never returned. Lincoln always retained connections with his native state. In his law office in Springfield, Illinois, he had a law partner from Kentucky and his best friend in Springfield was Joshua Speed, from Louisville. Lincoln visited Kentucky to see the Speeds and his in-laws. He took the great Kentucky statesman Henry Clay as his political role model. During the Civil War Lincoln was very unpopular in Kentucky, but when he said, “I, too, am a Kentuckian,” no one could dispute it.
12:00 P.M. Heroes of the Western Theater, 33rd Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry (Civil War Hall)
Lois J. Lambert, historian and writer, from Cincinnati, Ohio, will speak on the Thirty-third Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry. This magnificent fighting unit distinguished itself in some of the bloodiest encounters of the Civil War. In recognition of their valor, seven of its soldiers were presented the Congressional Medal of Honor, the first ever Medal of Honor was awarded to the Jacob Parrott of Company K of the Thirty-third. Mrs. Lambert will sign copies of her book Heroes of the Western Theater, 33rd Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
12:00 P.M. Civil War Soldier Packages from Home (Living History Village)
We are in receipt of letters from Civil War soldiers who are in need/want of reminders of home. We secured these items and have them ready to package and deliver. Once the items are packed we will with your help take them to the needy soldiers. This is a good time to find out what camp life was like for our brave boys. Please come and join us. This will be a great event for children to attend.
2:00 P.M. Fight for the Gibson Farm Part 2
“The Fight for the Gibson Farm”
Although the Battle of Perryville actually started 2 miles south of here with an early-morning skirmish, the major fighting did not begin until 2:00 PM when Confederate General Daniel Donelson’s Brigade attacked with three veteran regiments toward the Widow Gibson Farm. Only one Confederate regiment, the 16th Tennessee, actually succeeded in going that far. Quickly recovering from the surprise, Union troops (the 24th Illinois and the 2nd, 33rd and 50th Ohio regiments) plugged the gap and forced the Tennesseans back. After being reinforced, the Confederates renewed their attack and eventually captured the small farm.
Colonel John Savage of the 16th Tennessee described the fighting:
“While standing near [the Widow Gibson Cabin], a Miniè ball passed through my leg without breaking the bone, and the wood off a canister shot struck the cabin, and glancing knocked me down, paralyzing me for a time”.
The “Widow Gibson” herself was hiding under the floor of her cabin with her three small boys.
“I did start to go, but I seed the Yankees comin’ thick, and I hurried back t’other way; and jest as I e’enamost got to the brush yonder, I seed the Confeds jest a swarmin out of the woods. So, seeing I was between two fires, I rund back to the house . . . I cut a hole in the floor with the ax, and hid between the jists. SKEERED! LORD BLESS YOU, SKEERD! THAT AINT NO NAME FOR IT!” - Mary Jane “The Widow” Gibson.
When the fight ended late in the afternoon, the Tennesseans held the ground, but the 16th Tennessee had lost almost ⅔ of its men capturing the farm. The opposing Union regiments lost a quarter of their men. The fight was short but intense. After the fight for the little farmstead, the battle moved farther west and ended at nightfall. Hopelessly outnumbered, the Confederates withdrew towards Harrodsburg that night and Union forces occupied the battlefield the next morning.
A war correspondent traveling with the 2nd Ohio described the cabin the day after the battle:
“The chimney had been partly torn away by a cannon ball. A shell had struck the roof of the building, ripping open quite a gutter in the rafters. A dead horse lay in the little yard directly in front of the house, actually blocking up the doorway, while shot and shell were scattered in every direction about the field in the front and rear of this solitary homestead. A board had been taken from the floor, exhibiting a large hole between two solid beams or logs”
3:00 P.M. Living History Village and Military Camps Close
3:00 P.M. Kentucky History Mobile Closes
5:00 P.M. Perryville Battlefield Museum Closes
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