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

The Dye House

Perryville • The Battle For Kentucky

— October 8, 1862 —

The Dye House Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 16, 2025

1. The Dye House Marker

Inscription.

The Dye House. Perryville . The Battle For Kentucky. In 1860, a forty-three-year-old farmer named John Dye lived here with his wife, Elizabeth, their four children, and six slaves. The 120-acre farm produced hay, corn, and wheat, and the family also had a few cows, horses, and mules., Two years later, the Battle of Perryville struck. Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner commandeered the house as his headquarters and most of the Confederate army passed by the house as they deployed to attack the Union right flank, which was located about a mile in front of you. After the battle the house was a hospital. Stains that appear to be bloodstains still remain on the upstairs floor., Union troops remained at the house for several weeks after the battle. One day, the seventeen-year-old Martha Dye went upstairs to get some flour to bake bread. As she descended the stairs, a Union soldier refused to step aside to let her pass. Martha promptly dumped the flour over the soldier’s head., Another soldier allegedly proposed marriage to the fifteen-year-old Ruth Dye, but she refused his proposal., Simon Bolivar Buckner was born in Hart County, Kentucky, on April 12, 1823. An 1844 West Point graduate, Buckner taught there for one year before serving in the Mexican War. Immediately before the Civil War, Buckner was adjutant general of Kentucky and led the State Guard. Appointed brigadier general in the Confederate army, Buckner fought at Fort Donelson, where he surrendered the Confederate army after his superiors fled the fort. Captured there and later exchanged, Buckner negotiated the surrender of the Union garrison at Munfordville, Kentucky, before leading a division at Perryville. Later in the war he fortified Confederate positions at Mobile, Alabama, and fought at Chickamauga. After the conflict, Buckner was the editor of the Louisville Courier and was elected governor of Kentucky in 1887. A vice-presidential nominee in 1896, he died near Munfordville, Kentucky, on January 8, 1914. He is buried in Frankfort, Kentucky.

In 1860, a forty-three-year-old farmer named John Dye lived here with his wife, Elizabeth, their four children, and six slaves. The 120-acre farm produced hay, corn, and wheat, and the family also had a few cows, horses, and mules.

Two years later, the Battle of Perryville struck. Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner commandeered the house as his headquarters and most of the Confederate army passed by the house as they deployed to attack the Union right flank, which was located about a mile in front of you. After the battle the house was a hospital. Stains that appear to be bloodstains still remain on the upstairs floor.

Union troops remained at the house for several weeks after the battle. One day, the seventeen-year-old Martha Dye went upstairs to get some flour to bake bread. As she descended the stairs, a Union soldier refused to step aside to let her pass. Martha promptly dumped the flour over the soldier’s head.

Another soldier allegedly proposed marriage to the fifteen-year-old Ruth Dye, but she refused his proposal.

Simon Bolivar Buckner was born in Hart County, Kentucky, on April 12, 1823. An 1844 West Point graduate, Buckner taught there for one year before serving in the Mexican War. Immediately before the Civil War, Buckner was adjutant general of Kentucky and led the State

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Guard. Appointed brigadier general in the Confederate army, Buckner fought at Fort Donelson, where he surrendered the Confederate army after his superiors fled the fort. Captured there and later exchanged, Buckner negotiated the surrender of the Union garrison at Munfordville, Kentucky, before leading a division at Perryville. Later in the war he fortified Confederate positions at Mobile, Alabama, and fought at Chickamauga. After the conflict, Buckner was the editor of the Louisville Courier and was elected governor of Kentucky in 1887. A vice-presidential nominee in 1896, he died near Munfordville, Kentucky, on January 8, 1914. He is buried in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Erected by westerntheatrecivilwar.com and Kentucky State Parks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1987.

Location. 37° 39.835′ N, 84° 57.387′ W. Marker is in Perryville, Kentucky, in Boyle County. It is on Battlefield Road (Kentucky Route 1920) 0.7 miles north of Hays Mays Road, on the left when traveling north. Marker can be reached from the parking lot at the Dye House. Marker is located at the Dye House Trail trailhead. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 715 Battlefield Road, Perryville KY 40468, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 16, 2025

2. The Dye House Marker

The Dye House is in the background.

distance of this marker: Semple's Battery (approx. ¼ mile away); Darden's MS Battery - Friendly Fire (approx. 0.4 miles away); Battle of Perryville (approx. 0.4 miles away); Stanford's Battery (approx. half a mile away); The Sleets, The Union Army, & Self-Liberation (approx. half a mile away); The Sleet Family (approx. half a mile away); Sleettown: Gateway To Freedom (approx. 0.6 miles away); Hawkins' Mississippi Sharpshooters (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Perryville.

More about this marker. On the lower left is a photograph of "The Dye House c. 1898. The women are members of the Leonard Family."

On the upper right is a portrait of "Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner"

Also see . . . Perryville. American Battlefield Trust (Submitted on August 23, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)

The Dye House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon Fletcher, March 31, 2012

3. The Dye House

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 16, 2025

4. The Dye House

Grave of Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 11, 2019

5. Grave of Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner

Located at the Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, August 18, 2011

6. The Dye House Marker

The Dye House Marker in 2011.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 23, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,982 times since then and 185 times this year. Last updated on February 28, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 16, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. 3. submitted on September 15, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 4. submitted on November 16, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. 5. submitted on March 3, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. 6. submitted on August 23, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.