This fall marks the 150th anniversary of Kentucky’s largest Civil War battle. To honor that event, planning is well underway for the October re-enactment of the Battle of Perryville.
It was one of the bloodiest battles of the entire Civil War, with more than seven thousand casualties. It also marked a strategic tipping point for the Union, which would control Kentucky for the rest of the war.
Department of Parks spokesman Gil Lawson says the battle is re-enacted every October, but the sesquicentennial is expected to draw even more participants and visitors.
"It’s always a weekend event where we have two or three re-enacted battles, along with lots of other presentations, living history and book signings and things related to the Civil War in Perryville," said Lawson.
Lawson says the department is selling advance tickets for the re-enactments, and volunteers are being recruited to help prepare the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site in central Kentucky for the various anniversary events.