This month’s Mystery Monday posts will be stories of haunted America. There are hundreds of places I could write about. However, I chose towns places I have visited and taken part in a ghost walk or tour. The first is Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
The picturesque town of Gettysburg lies in South Central Pennsylvania. In many ways, it’s like other small towns in America—a spot on a map most people would never visit.
On July 1 – 3 of that year, tens of thousands descended upon the town as the Army of Northern Virginia engaged in battle with the Army of the Potomac. Casualties on both sides were high. An estimated 27,000 Confederate and 23,000 Union soldiers were either wounded or killed—the highest number for any single battle of the war. The war also claimed the life of one civilian when a stray bullet passed through a kitchen door, hitting twenty-year-old Jennie Wade.
After the fighting ended, the town’s residents had to care for the wounded and bury approximately 8,000 dead soldiers.
Many homes became field hospitals for the thousands of wounded during the three-day battle.
During the battle, farmhouses and public buildings were used as makeshift hospitals. Surgeons performed countless amputations in less than optimal conditions. Limbs were thrown out windows into piles. These were later gathered and buried in makeshift graves. Citizens heard the cries of wounded soldiers throughout the town.
Mass graves were dug for both Union and Confederate soldiers. Is it any wonder Gettysburg has become a prime location for paranormal activity? This area has more reporting incidents of paranormal activity than any other Civil War Battlefield.
The valley of death is an area between Little Round Top and Devil’s den. One woman reported
Looking down from Little Round Top to Devil’s Den
being in this area one night when she heard someone playing Taps from deep in the woods. A white fog appeared, then she saw a soldier walk out of the mist. He walked by slowly, then disappeared.
More than one visitor has reported seeing a man with bare feet and shoulder-length hair, wearing a floppy hat and ragged clothing. Many believe he is a ghost of a Texas soldier who died in that area.
Others have had trouble with their cameras while at Devil’s Den. When they leave the area, the cameras work perfectly.
After the war, the Homestead Orphanage was established to care for and educate the children of fallen soldiers. Headmistress Rosa Carmichael was a mean, vindictive woman who often locked children in the outside or tied them to fences and left them in the hot sun.
Dungeon at Children’s Home where children were locked in for days.
She hired an assistant, a teenager known as Stick Boy, to carry out much of the punishment. He would trip kids with his stick, beat them, and chain them to a wall of the basement. Some children were locked in a small room in the cellar and left there for days.
The torment continued for almost nine years until someone found a child locked in the outside. In 1877, Carmichael was charged with child abuse, but her punishment was a measly $20.00 fine. She left Gettysburg never to be seen alive there again.
Strange occurrences have been reported including the presence of children in the basement and toys moving of their own accord. The remnants of a wire once used to shackle the children is said to stand straight out from the wall. Many believe the ghost of Rosa, Stick Boy, and the children now haunt the building.
Jennie Wade was the only civilian to die during the Battle of Gettysburg. She was a guest in her sister’s home when they became trapped in the middle of the war. Instead of being idle, Jennie spent her time baking bread for Union Soldiers. A stray bullet when through the door, into her shoulder, and lodged in her heart, killing her instantly.
The nearby Farnsworth house was a Confederate stronghold. The basement was used for triage, the attic for a sniper’s nest. Many believe the bullet that hit Jennie came from this house.
Both places have reported incidents of paranormal activity. Ghostly images of a woman have been seen in a mirror in the upstairs bedroom of the Wade house. In the Farnsworth house, people claim to hear people crying out in pain in the basemen. Many believe Jennie’s spirit still inhabits the home where she died.
We didn’t witness any paranormal activity while in Gettysburg. But more importantly, a visit to this town and the battlefields served as a reminder of a dark time in our nation’s history. It’s my hope we never repeat something that that again.
16 Responses
This is an interesting post, Joan. Thanks for sharing. My Buddhist studies taught me about the theory of Karmic Jangles … or, in other words, unresolved energy that lingers. I expect a large concentration would be found at sites such as Devils Den and other such areas. Many folks beleive that hauntings come down to unsettled energy. I love all the different theories that abound to try and explain the mysterious … all great fodder for the imagination 🙂
I have heard that about energy. It’s interesting and as you say, all this does wonders for the imagination. Good story fodder!
Thanks for this post, Joan. Of course, I know about this battle but it is interesting to learn about it from a more personal perspective and the read about the ghosts that haunt the town.
There are so many stories of sightings. I could probably write an entire year’s worth of Monday posts and still not cover them all. I’m grateful to have been able to visit this place. So rich in history.
I thrive on posts like this. I would dearly love to visit one day myself. Thanks for posting this.
Craig, it was so interesting. Not just the ghost walk but being where history was made. It’s also a beautiful part of the country. I have another post next week about another Civil War battle site (and another ghost tour).
I’ll be waiting.
I can image battle fields having a lot of leftover unresolved hauntings. Horrible how that woman treated children with only a fine. Like Pearl Habor I would be tuned into the sadness of it.
I can’t believe she got away with only a $20.00 fine. Granted adjusted for inflation, it would be considerably more today, but she at least deserved jail time.
Gettysburg is in my home state. And its legends are every bit as fascinating as its history.
I wrote a story (When We Finally Kiss Goodnight) that has the Jenny Wade legend in it—the romance part of the story, which isn’t mentioned here. The lore is so compelling.
Great post, Joan.
We loved Gettysburg. I remember reading and enjoying your story. We didn’t have time to visit Jenny’s house but saw it from a distance. We hope to return there someday and spend more time.
I’d love to go back. Maybe someday…
Gettysburg is about 45 minutes from where I live. My husband and I have visited often, and although I’ve never seen a ghost, I do remember being highly “creeped out” on one occasion while hiking Little Round Top—a spot I’ve hiked many times. On that day, DH and I were the only ones on the trail (which was odd) and I had the strangest sensation of being watched from the trees. It was almost tangible.
They say the Texan with no shoes will sometimes pose for photos with tourists, but when the film is developed the spot where he is standing is empty. I’ve heard he gets mistaken for a re-enactor!
Such interesting history and folklore about a tragic battle, but also the high water mark of the war. My first release, Weathering Rock, touches on some of history from Gettysburg, and also the war. My lead character is a Union Colonel who fought at Gettysburg, Naturally, it was a time travel, LOL.
Loved this post, Joan!
Mae, we loved visiting Gettysburg. Such a quaint little town and so much history! Like you, we didn’t see any ghosts. We hope to return there someday and have more time to spend.
I have never visited Gettysburg, Pa., but have visited Vicksburg, Ms and the feeling of heaviness still lingers even this many years after the battles. My sister and I stayed in a B&B that was over 100 years old and read diaries from many who lived through those horrible days. There were stories told of how the Union and Confederate soldiers would talk to each other through the nights, then fight during the day. I love visiting these historic places and it’s always about the “feeling” I get. Thank you for sharing this, Joan!
Jan, we’ve been to Vicksburg and stayed in a Bed and Breakfast. In fact, that’s my post for next week! I’ve heard that about the Confederate and Union soldiers. So sad.