Ghosts of Gettysburg
There are many areas of the United States that are haunted due in fact by the events that took place there, one of these is Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. One of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War took place there with both the North and the South experiencing great number of died and dying during the three day battle. Witnesses describe the fields as running red with the blood that was spilled those days. So its is no wonder that many people to this day report seeing Confederate as well as Union or Federal soldiers reenacting the battles that they fought more than one hundred and forty years ago. Another reason for the large spirit activity around Gettysburg is do to the large amounts of lives that were lost those days and so many of those lives passed with hatred on their hearts and also with the recognition given the spirits with the many reenactments each year and the many visitors, it is very logical that this would be a very haunted place. We have witnessed some phenomenon ourselves on a recent visit to Gettysburg. On our drive into the battlefield I heard someone say, "We came from the north," naturally thinking that it was a Federal soldier speaking to me I did not think anything of it, but later I was to learn that the Confederates came in from the north to confuse the Federals. There was a very futile battle for the Confederates called Picketts Charge and as we came upon the area that it took place even Larry felt the over powering feeling of depression there. It was as if all was lost. I remembered from a previous trip to that area what I had witnessed there. At the time I had not known much about that battle, but as I looked over the landscape I became aware of a group of Confederate soldiers that were coming towards me to my left. I stood mesmerized by the scene unfolding before me; the soldiers began to run toward my right. These brave southern soldiers held their guns above their heads, waving them; some carried sticks in the same manner and some were throwing rocks. The strangest thing was this sound that they were making, it was a strange whooping sound, almost like the sound a farmer would make calling pigs. Even though the day was warm this sound sent shivers through me. I turned my head in the direction that they were running to and there I saw the Federal army standing tall and erect. They seemed so much more polished than their Confederate brothers; the gold on their buttons seemed to glimmer as the sunlight bounced off of them. Their uniforms were all fresh and clean almost as if they were freshly laundered and pressed. Many of the Confederates were bare footed and their uniforms were in tatters. The North stood still in formation looking at the advancing Southern Army, they seemed for a second to be caught off guard, or maybe a little frightened by the strange noise and sight that they were seeing. But they quickly regained their composure and ran toward their advancing adversaries, just as the vision faded. I found out later that Picketts brigade had not gotten the much-needed ammunition in time for the battle. Not knowing what to do and seeing the North coming down the road, they did the only thing that they could think of. Many of the southern soldiers were farm boys, they did what they thought might scare the starched Union army, they picked up sticks and rocks and began yelling their famous wild whooping yell, and they ran with all the courage that they could muster toward the North in hopes of a miracle. But we all know what happened to those brave men, most were killed or wounded and the South lost the ensuing battle. Still to this day though, the gallantry of both sides is still being fought at Gettysburg. On our trip into the town of Gettysburg, Larry and I decided to eat at the Farnsworth house. Over 100 bullets in the three-day battle hit this house; visitors can still see them to this day. The inside of the Farnsworth house is as if you stepped back into the 1860's, even the waitresses and waiters are dressed in that period. The food is also from the 1860's. After our waitress seated us, I was looking around admiring the antiques, I saw on the stairs a Confederate soldier climbing up the stairs in the hallway. He stopped halfway up and looked at me and said "Ma'm, you are behind enemy lines." and then he turned and went up the stairs. I mentioned this to Larry and to be honest we didn't think too much of it at the time. Dinner proceeded with no more spirit interruptions and we left to get ready for one of the many ghost tours that Gettysburg boasts about. Our tour would be of Baltimore Street and we both were eager to go on it. As our guide for the evening began the tour he stopped in front of the Farnsworth house and told us that this was were Confederate sharp shooters had been stationed during the battle and that this house was considered behind enemy lines. |
