In 1862, the South launched a campaign to bring the indecisive border state of Kentucky into the Confederacy. Full of blunders and missed opportunities, the campaign convinced the Kentuckians that the Confederacy was incapable of holding the state against determined Union forces. Among the disasters was the bloody battle of Perryville.

Drawing on research in letters, diaries and regimental histories, this book tells the story of the South's ill-fated effort. The main focus is Perryville, where inexperience on both sides and the lack of cohesive Confederate action turned what could easily have been a Southern victory into a disheartening retreat, forever relegating General Braxton Bragg to the annals of military mediocrity. Appendices include lists of Confederate and Union commands, strategic placements of the inexperienced regiments, and casualties. Photographs and an index are included.