The Kentucky in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Confederate Dead in Bardstown
In Response To: Confederate Dead in Bardstown ()

I think that there was a fight near the Bardstown Fairgrounds. Hafendorfer's book, "Twos and Tens," likely goes into this. In addition, the "Official Records of the War of the Rebellion" (128 volumes, now online through Cornell University and other sites), volume 16, likely makes mention of several of the skirmishes in and around Bardstown. You can search the Cornell site (I think it's called the Making of America series) and can search that individual volume for Bardstown. Many of the Confederates who died at Bardstown died of illnesses--they weren't all battle casualties--they were left there in makeshift hospitals when the Confederates marched through town and these men never recovered. Because of a severe drought, the troops were forced to drink from stagnant ponds--therefore many soldiers died of dysentery, etc. The Perryville Park Manager, who can be reached at 859-332-8631, has been compiling a database of soldiers who were killed in the battle or who died of illnesses. You can also get his e-mail address (I think) through the Perryvile website that is part of the Dept. of Parks's general website. I think his database includes several of the CSA troops who died from sickness--I know that a few from Cheatham's division, for example, died there. After the battle, Union troops were likely taken there too, since the town of Perryville (population 300 in 1862)couldn't contend with the number of casualties. Union and Confederate troops are buried all over the area, and many died from illnesses contracted both before and after the battle. These are the forgotten casualties of the campaign. There are preservation efforts underway at Perryville--see their website at www.perryville.net for more information. They have increased the park from 98 to more than 600 acres.

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