Perryville in Boyle County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, August 18, 2011

1. Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial (base)

Inscription.

Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial. . (base) Dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Harris B. Cope Company G 16th Tennessee Infantry who fell in the fields ahead October 8, 1862. , (top) Donelson’s Brigade. The brigade of Brig. Gen. Daniel S. Donelson (nephew of President Andrew Jackson) consisted of the 8th, 15th, 16th, 38th, and 51st Tennessee Infantry regiments, and Capt. William Carnes’ Tennessee Light Artillery Battery, and was the first of the four brigades of Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Cheatham’s First Division, Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk’s Right Wing, Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Army of the Mississippi., October 8, 1862. In the late morning Donelson’s brigade (with Cheatham’s Division), leaving its bivouac site in and around the Perryville Cemetery, marched in the direction of Harrodsburg to take up a position on the right of the Confederate line. The brigade filed off of the turnpike near the Crawford House and followed the dry Chaplin River to get into position., After arriving at the staging area near the Goodknight House along the river bottomlands behind you, Carnes’ Battery and the 8th and 51st Tennessee Infantry regiments were detached to assist an artillery bombardment several hundred yards to the left and, later, to assist in the attack of Brig. Gen. George Maney’s brigade to the far right., It was determined that Donelson’s Brigade would lead the main attack directly over the fields ahead. The attack was to be made without the detached regiments in spite of Donelson’s personal appeals for their return. The attack of Donelson’s three remaining units, the 15th, 16th and 38th Tennessee Infantry regiments was launched a few minutes after 2:00 P.M. against what was believed to be the Union left flank. Led by the 16th Tennessee Infantry regiment, the three regiments ran into a murderous cross fire from Parsons’ improvised United States Battery on the high ground ahead and to the right and Harris’ 19th Indiana Battery on the high ground to the left and front. The 16th Tennessee lost half of its men in just a few minutes. Despite the tremendous losses, the three regiments continued the attack with shouts of victory. They first struck the 33rd Ohio Infantry regiment and then the 2nd Ohio Infantry regiment directly ahead, inflicted heavy losses on the Ohioans and captured the Lieutenant Colonel of the 33rd regiment. Donelson's three regiments, in the end, bought enough time for the two other of Cheatham’s brigades to adjust their lines and effectively assault the Union positions. The 15th, 16th and 38th Tennessee Infantry regiments surged ahead until they were halted by artillery fire and superior enemy numbers. Their ammunition exhausted, what were left of Donelson’s three regiments were relieved by Brig. Gen. A. P. Stewart’s brigade., Later in the afternoon the 8th and 51st Tennessee Infantry regiments returned to this area and spearheaded another attack, along with the regiments of the 15th, 16th, and 38th Tennessee Infantry regiments, in the fields directly ahead. Darkness, though, finally ended the fighting., Casualties. 8th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 4, Wounded 28, Total 33 -- 15th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 9, Wounded 25, Total 34 -- 16th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 41, Wounded 151, Missing 7, Total 199 -- 38th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 5, Wounded 38, Total 43 -- 51st Tennessee Infantry: Killed 9, Wounded 25, Total 34 -- and Carnes’ Tennessee Battery: Killed 1, Wounded 4, Total 5., (rear) Donelson’s Brigade Cheatham’s Division Polk’s Right Wing Army of the Mississippi.

(base)
Dedicated to the memory of
Sgt. Harris B. Cope
Company G
16th Tennessee Infantry
who fell in the fields ahead
October 8, 1862

(top)
Donelson’s Brigade
The brigade of Brig. Gen. Daniel S. Donelson (nephew of President Andrew Jackson) consisted of the 8th, 15th, 16th, 38th, and 51st Tennessee Infantry regiments, and Capt. William Carnes’ Tennessee Light Artillery Battery, and was the first of the four brigades of Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Cheatham’s First Division, Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk’s Right Wing, Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Army of the Mississippi.

October 8, 1862
In the late morning Donelson’s brigade (with Cheatham’s Division), leaving its bivouac site in and around the Perryville Cemetery, marched in the direction of Harrodsburg to take up a position on the right of the Confederate line. The brigade filed off of the turnpike near the Crawford House and followed the dry Chaplin River to get into position.

After arriving at the staging area near the Goodknight House along the river bottomlands behind you, Carnes’ Battery and the 8th & 51st Tennessee Infantry regiments were detached to assist an artillery bombardment several hundred yards to the left and, later, to assist

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in the attack of Brig. Gen. George Maney’s brigade to the far right.

It was determined that Donelson’s Brigade would lead the main attack directly over the fields ahead. The attack was to be made without the detached regiments in spite of Donelson’s personal appeals for their return. The attack of Donelson’s three remaining units, the 15th, 16th and 38th Tennessee Infantry regiments was launched a few minutes after 2:00 P.M. against what was believed to be the Union left flank. Led by the 16th Tennessee Infantry regiment, the three regiments ran into a murderous cross fire from Parsons’ improvised United States Battery on the high ground ahead and to the right and Harris’ 19th Indiana Battery on the high ground to the left and front. The 16th Tennessee lost half of its men in just a few minutes. Despite the tremendous losses, the three regiments continued the attack with shouts of victory. They first struck the 33rd Ohio Infantry regiment and then the 2nd Ohio Infantry regiment directly ahead, inflicted heavy losses on the Ohioans and captured the Lieutenant Colonel of the 33rd regiment. Donelson's three regiments, in the end, bought enough time for the two other of Cheatham’s brigades to adjust their lines and effectively assault the Union positions. The 15th, 16th and 38th Tennessee Infantry regiments surged ahead until they were halted by artillery fire and superior

Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial (top) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, August 18, 2011

2. Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial (top)

enemy numbers. Their ammunition exhausted, what were left of Donelson’s three regiments were relieved by Brig. Gen. A. P. Stewart’s brigade.

Later in the afternoon the 8th and 51st Tennessee Infantry regiments returned to this area and spearheaded another attack, along with the regiments of the 15th, 16th, and 38th Tennessee Infantry regiments, in the fields directly ahead. Darkness, though, finally ended the fighting.

Casualties
8th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 4, Wounded 28, Total 33 -- 15th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 9, Wounded 25, Total 34 -- 16th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 41, Wounded 151, Missing 7, Total 199 -- 38th Tennessee Infantry: Killed 5, Wounded 38, Total 43 -- 51st Tennessee Infantry: Killed 9, Wounded 25, Total 34 -- and Carnes’ Tennessee Battery: Killed 1, Wounded 4, Total 5.

(rear)
Donelson’s Brigade
Cheatham’s Division
Polk’s Right Wing
Army of the Mississippi

Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is October 8, 1862.

Location. 37° 40.493′ N, 84° 58.06′ W. Marker is in Perryville, Kentucky, in Boyle County. Marker can be reached from Park Road near Battlefield Road (Kentucky Route 1920). Located in Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site.

Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial (rear) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, August 18, 2011

3. Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial (rear)

Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1825 Battlefield Road, Perryville KY 40468, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Opening Attack (within shouting distance of this marker); Introduction (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Donelson's Advance (about 700 feet away); The Valley of Death (about 700 feet away); Soldiers' Reaction to Lincoln's Emancipation (about 800 feet away); Perryville and the Emancipation Proclamation (about 800 feet away); Stewart's Advance (about 800 feet away); Army of the Mississippi (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Perryville.

Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bernard Fisher, August 18, 2011

4. Sgt. Harris B. Cope Memorial

Credits. This page was last revised on October 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 23, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 841 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 23, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.