Perryville Boyle Kentucky United States

Buell, under pressure from the government to take aggressive action, had almost been relieved of duty (only the personal reluctance of George H. Thomas to assume command from his superior at the start of a campaign prevented it).

As he approaches Perryville, Kentucky, he begins to concentrate his army in the face of Confederate forces there.

Bragg is not initially present with his army, having decided to attend the inauguration ceremony of a Confederate governor of Kentucky in Frankfort.

Fighting begins at Perryville over possession of water sources on October 8, and as the fighting escalates, Bragg's Army of Mississippi achieves some tactical success in an assault against a single corps of Buell's Army of the Ohio.

Union troops outnumber Confederates 36,940 to 16,000.

Union casualties number 4,211, including 845 killed, 2,851 wounded, and 515 missing.

The Confederate force loses 3,396 soldiers, 510 of whom are killed, 2,635 wounded, and 251 missing.

That evening Bragg realizes that he is facing Buell's entire army and orders a retreat to ...