Col. J. Stoddard Johnston, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 9.1, Kentucky
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

Yet, while the enemy had retired and no longer replied with his musketry, his artillery, actively plied, indicated that he had not retreated far. On the contrary there were ominous reports of danger on the Lebanon road, and apprehensions arose of being taken in left and rear by a reinforcement from Crittenden's delayed corps, as reports of their approach came in by cavalry. Our advance having placed Perryville in our rear with comparatively no protection, the appearance of an infantry force there would have had a disastrous effect; but fortunately it did not occur. The sun went down in a cloudless sky as red in the autumnal haze and smoke of battle as the blood upon which it had looked, while almost simultaneously the full moon, its counterpart in bloody mien, rose opposite. Still the artillery on both sides kept up their fire. Upon an elevation on our left, which had been won with hard fighting, were placed two of our batteries, which sent forth continuous flames, deepening in their lurid glare as it became darker, until only the sheet of flame without the smoke could be seen, while the air was filled with bursting bombs, and the scream of the shell with lighted fuse, or its unpleasant thud as it struck near, was constantly heard. Gradually the fire slackened; the moon rose higher and lit up the ghastly faces of the dead; and by half past 8, over all was the stillness of death.

The battle was over and both armies were lying on their arms. Tactically it was a Confederate victory, strategically it was a defeat. The loss on both sides was heavy, and it proved not only the largest battle fought during the war on Kentucky soil, but one of the bloodiest of the war. Out of 15,000 of all arms, the Confederate loss was 3,396—510 killed, 2,635 wounded and 251 missing. The total Federal casualties were 4,241—845 killed, 2,851 wounded and 515 missing. General Halleck states