The battle of Perryville was a baptism by fire for the 121st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, part of which came from Knox County. The unit, with minimal training and equipment, was mustered at Camp Delaware in September 1862 and sent almost immediately to Kentucky, where it joined Gen. Don Carlos Buell’s Army of the Ohio as it marched after Gen. Braxton Bragg’s invading army.
The 121st would eventually compile a lengthy record, first with Buell and then Gen. William S. Rosecrans, and eventually under William T.. Sherman in the Atlanta Campaign and the March to the Sea and into the Carolinas.
They were practically untrained and they were given inadequate arms. But they performed well at Perryville.
A correspondent from the 121st with the pen name “Knox” wrote to the Democratic Banner after the Oct. 8 battle. The letter was published in the Nov. 1 issue.
“As you know, this regiment was raised in a very few days. We were in Camp Delaware but about one week, when we were ordered to Cincinnati, without uniforms or guns. We were in Cincinnati several days before we received guns or clothing and as soon as we were thus supplied we were ordered into Kentucky. We camped near Covington, about four days, when orders came for use to march to Louisville. We arrived there on the 25th of September, and were immediately put upon duty day and night, and continued to perform arduous duties until the 1st of this month, until we received orders to march.
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