Jared Herr, jherr@battlefields.org
(Perryville, Ky.) — Amid commemorations of the Battle of Perryville’s 164th anniversary, the American Battlefield Trust has recreated the battle in exciting digital format through the Battle of Perryville Animated Map, capturing the five hours of brutal fighting on October 8, 1862.
“Using this state-of-the-art technology to tell the story of Perryville enables us to reach new people and share why this hallowed ground needs to be protected,” said David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust. “We know this map will deepen people’s understanding of the battle and inspire them to visit this historic battlefield for themselves.”
Produced in collaboration with Wide Awake Films, the animated map details the largest and last major battle in the Kentucky Campaign, the Battle of Perryville, which pitted Gen. Braxton Bragg's Confederate army against Gen. Don Carlos Buell's Union army. While Bragg won the battle tactically, Confederate forces retreated from the battlefield and ended the campaign, leaving Kentucky under Union control for the rest of the war.
“The animated map captures exactly why the Perryville Battlefield is a tremendous historic resource for our community and for the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe who represents Boyle County. “This animated map will provide students, families and visitors another reason to explore the battlefield and better understand the important role Kentucky played in our nation’s history.”
“This digital showcase of the Battle of Perryville allows people to easier visualize this historic history of this remarkable place to audiences both here in Kentucky and around the world,” said Rep. Daniel Elliott, who represents the battlefield and was the original sponsor of the legislation to establish the Kentucky Battlefield Preservation Fund. “This animated map is an outstanding resource, and I am extremely glad the American Battlefield Trust is bringing this story to new audiences.”
With nearly 30 entries to date, the American Battlefield Trust's Animated Map Collection tells the story of America’s defining conflicts through compelling storytelling, state of the art graphics and live action video. From individual battles to campaigns and entire theaters of war — plus the ambitious “America’s Wars,” which provides an overview of 200 years of the nation’s military history — the pieces are suitable for classroom use or viewing by learners of all ages.
The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 63,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War across 160 sites in 25 states, including more than 1,200 acres at Perryville. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
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