Vol. 41, No. 2 Winter 2005 kentucky ancestors genealogical quarterly of the Perryville Casualty Pink Things: Some Revolutionary Database Reveals A Memoir of the War Soldiers Buried True Cost of War Edwards Family of in Kentucky Harrodsburg Vol. 41, No. 2 Winter 2005 kentucky ancestors genealogical quarterly of the Thomas E. Stephens, Editor kentucky ancestors Dan Bundy, Graphic Design Kent Whitworth, Director James E. Wallace, Assistant Director administration Betty Fugate, Membership Coordinator research and interpretation Nelson L. Dawson, Team Leader management team Kenneth H. Williams, Program Leader Doug Stern, Walter Baker, Lisbon Hardy, Michael Harreld, Lois Mateus, Dr. Thomas D. Clark, C. Michael Davenport, Ted Harris, Ann Maenza, Bud Pogue, Mike Duncan, James E. Wallace, Maj. board of Gen. Verna Fairchild, Mary Helen Miller, Ryan trustees Harris, and Raoul Cunningham Kentucky Ancestors (ISSN-0023-0103) is published quarterly by the Kentucky Historical Society and is distributed free to Society members. Periodical postage paid at Frankfort, Kentucky, and at additional mailing offices. Postmas- ter: Send address changes to Kentucky Ancestors, Kentucky Historical Society, 100 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601-1931. Please direct changes of address and other notices concerning membership or mailings to the Membership De- partment, Kentucky Historical Society, 100 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601-1931; telephone (502) 564-1792. Submissions and correspondence should be directed to: Tom Stephens, editor, Kentucky Ancestors, Kentucky Histori- cal Society, 100 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601-1931. The Kentucky Historical Society, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, or disability, and provides, on request, reasonable accommodations, includ- ing auxiliary aids and services necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in all services, programs, and activities. contents vol. 41, no. 2/winter 2005 Perryville Casualty Database Reveals True Cost of War Stuart W. Sanders .................................................................................................................... 58 Those Mentioned in the Springfield News, Washington County, December 1, 1892 ......................... 73 Announcements .............................................................................................................................. 76 Pink Things: A Memoir of the Edwards Family of Harrodsburg Betty Edwards Dickson .......................................................................................................... 77 Some Revolutionary War Soldiers Buried in Kentucky ........................................................................... 95 Queries.......................................................................................................................................... 111 Mystery Album ............................................................................................................................. 112 on the cover: Edward Wurtele, Emily Gaither Wurtele, Betty Ruth Edwards, Morton “Motie” Wurtele, and George W. Edwards II took a trip to Cumberland Falls in the 1930s. Betty Ruth Edwards Dickson’s memoir of her early life in Harrodsburg begins on page 77. Perryville Casualty Database Reveals True Cost of War By Stuart W. Sanders Sanders is the Civil War History and Heritage Tourism Specialist for the Kentucky Historical Society. In addition to writing Kentucky’s Civil War Heritage Trail, a statewide tour guide published by the Kentucky Department of Travel Development, Sanders has written for Civil War History, The Journal of America’s Military Past, Civil War: The Magazine of the Civil War Society, Civil War Times Illustrated, America’s Civil War, Northern Kentucky Heri- tage, Kentucky Humanities, Kentucky Monthly, The Washington Times, and several other publications. On October 8, 1862, Kentucky’s largest Civil War For the past decade, Kurt Holman, the manager of battle raged outside of Perryville. In the five-hour the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, has been fight, which proved to be a Confederate tactical vic- researching the names of the thousands of Perryville tory, nearly 8,000 soldiers were killed and wounded. casualties. To date, Holman has compiled informa- The battle was a crucial turning point. The Confed- tion on more than 5,400 of these soldiers into a erates’ failure to hold Kentucky influenced autumn computer database that is accessible to the public. congressional elections and kept the commonwealth Historians and genealogists alike have used these files in Union hands for the remainder of the conflict. to further their understanding of the Battle of Per- Had the Perryville campaign ended differently, the ryville and their ancestors’ sacrifices.2 course of the war could have changed.1 According to Holman, the database “is an attempt to collect the names of all of the men who were killed, wounded, captured, missing, or otherwise incapacitated in the Battle of Perryville, and put it in a searchable form.” The database includes soldiers’ names, rank, military units, states, known hospital locations, age, and place of burial (if known). The da- tabase also lists the date that the soldier was killed or wounded, and, if known, includes the place of death. Some entries include additional remarks, includ- ing specific data about soldiers’ wounds (“wounded severely in leg”) or the manner of death. Major Henry Johnson of the 10th Wisconsin Infantry, for example, is listing as having “his horse killed under him and was himself instantly killed by a ball in the breast.” Other entries note men who died during amputations or from disease, like Sergeant Martin Delaney of the 15th Kentucky Infantry, who was wounded in the 3 The national colors of the 15th Kentucky Volunteer shoulder and later died of tetanus. Infantry mirror the history of the regiment. Carried at The database allowed Holman to discover that the the Battle of Perryville on Oct. 8, 1862, this was the average age of soldiers killed or wounded at Perryville flag under which the 15th’s commander, Colonel Curran was twenty-five (out of a sample of 1,182 men). The Pope, was wounded. Pope later died of typhoid fever. It oldest was seventy years old, and the youngest was was also the flag taken up under fire by Captain James fifteen. The listing includes men from Alabama, Ar- Brown Forman to rally the troops. Before his death at the Battle of Stone’s River, Forman sent the flag to kansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Kentucky Gov. James F. Robinson for it to be preserved Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mis- in Pope’s honor. sissippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and 2005 Kentucky Ancestors V41-2 58 Perryville Casualty Database Reveals True Cost of War, continued __ Wisconsin. In addition, “Confederate States Regu- times, and retired in order from place to place until lars” and “United States Regulars” are also included. night ended the terrible slaughter.” During the fight, Sadly, of the more than 5,400 troops listed in the the 500 members of the 15th Kentucky suffered 62 database, only 633 burial locations are known.4 killed, 136 wounded, and five missing, nearly 40 Perusing the database reveals sad stories from the percent of its strength.8 battle, and details the true cost of war. The compilation Several of these victims were prominent Kentuck- discloses wounds caused in combat as well as chilling ians. Lieutenant Colonel George P. Jouett was a son accidents that occurred on the firing line. While loading of noted artist Matthew Jouett. A medical doctor, a cannon, the database notes, Private Samuel Decker of lawyer, and merchant, George Jouett served as mayor the 4th U. S. Artillery had both of his forearms severed of Lexington for a year. Following in his father’s by a premature explosion. Two years later, Decker footsteps, Jouett painted and was an accomplished reputedly made his own artificial arms.5 sculptor. When the 15th Kentucky was organized, Holman’s listings provide researchers with grim he was elected lieutenant colonel. The 49-year-old details about the battle’s aftermath. For example, Jouett was struck in the leg early in the battle, died the database entry for Private Michael Hazzard of on the field, and was buried in Louisville’s Cave Hill the 38th Indiana Infantry recalls that “He was shot Cemetery. One 19th-century writer commented, through the right shoulder, the ball passing through “Probably no citizen of Kentucky, who fell in the war the lower edge of the shoulder blade. It was seven of the rebellion, was more sincerely lamented.”9 days before his bloody clothes were removed and Another popular Kentuckian who died as a result proper surgical attention given him.” Many soldiers of the Perryville battle was the 15th Kentucky’s colo- at Perryville had similar experiences.6 nel, Curran Pope. A West Point graduate and the Of the more than 5,400 soldiers listed, 259 are son of a distinguished Louisville family, Pope was an Kentuckians. Of these Bluegrass troops, all of whom engineer and clerk of the Jefferson County Court. were Union soldiers (few Kentucky Confederates Pope’s horse was shot out from under him and, mo- fought at Perryville), sixty-seven were killed, 134 ments later, he was wounded near the shoulder. Two were wounded, 22 were mortally wounded (died of days after the fight, on Oct. 10, 1862, Pope wrote a their wounds or