“It has never been on public display before and it is huge for us to be able to include it,” House said. “It is something that will probably end up in the Smithsonian or the Army War College someday.”
Other rare artifacts include items belonging to John Hunt Morgan.
Another interesting artifact is a pistol that supposedly belonged to “Sue Mundy.” Mundy actually is thought to be a fictional female Confederate guerilla who opposed Union rule in Kentucky. House said the pistol probably belonged to Marcelius Gerome Clarke, a young guerilla soldier who a Louisville newspaper editor based the Mundy character on.
House said she hopes local people will seize the chance to see the exhibit free of charge.
“We really want to give folks from Boyle County a chance to go through this without having to pay,” House said. “So many things in the exhibit are on loan from people in the area and it is a great chance for people to experience their own history.”
Saturday’s event will include re-enactors with horses portraying cavalry soldiers, as well as guided ghost tours with the Spirit Hunters of Central Kentucky.
House said exhibit’s focus on cavalry will also be a good tie in with the events at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
“When you look at the way they rode and maneuvered on the battlefield, cavalry soldiers in the American Civil War were probably showing some of the best horsemanship in the world,” he said.
IF YOU GO
“Tribute to Cavalry in the American Civil War” is 6-9 p.m. Saturday at Perryville Battlefield.
Museum and park admission is free to the public. Re-enactors will portray American Civil War Cavalry. The Spirit Hunters of Central Kentucky Paranormal tour and hunt of the park is $10. Regular admission to the museum is $3.50 for adults and $2.50 for children under 12.
