Halloween Haunts (pt. 2) - Tennessee

Many Civil War battlefields in Tennessee are believed to be haunted. One such battlefield that is occupied by a famous ghost is Chickamauga, and the entity has come to be known as "Old Green Eyes." On numerous occasions, people have reported that an eerie presence approaches them, and that glowing green eyes are visible through the eerie mist that lingers around the base of Lookout Mountain.

A group of specters occupies another Tennessee battlefield, Stones River near Murfreesboro (just outside Nashville). At the "Slaughter Pen," one particular spirit inhabits the area, his soul eternally doomed to roam what has now become a dark, shadowy, spooky wooded area.

Shiloh is another haunted battlefield where the land will forever have the impression cast upon it of death, suffering, and destruction. "Bloody Pond" is said to take on the color of blood on occasion, and of course, the battlefield, like nearly all Civil War battlefields, has its share of noises, such as distant drums, marching, battle cries, and gunfire.

Halloween Haunts

With the advent of Halloween, I am concentrating on haunted Civil War houses, battlefields, and hotels. It seems that every battlefield, whether significant or minor, seems to inhabit its share of Civil War ghosts. Experts in the supernatural say that people who die sudden, unexpected, violent deaths are the ones whose souls get caught in limbo. Gettysburg is the most famous haunted battlefield because it lies on a lay line (mineral deposits under the soil that criss-cross). These places attract apparitions because the electrical current caused by the lay lines coaxes spirits, just like moths to a flame.

Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi has plenty of supernatural inhabitants as well. It is no wonder, since the citizens and Confederate army were under siege for months, forced to live in caves along the riverbank, and eat vermin, dogs, etc. in order to survive. The town is filled with old abandoned buildings, but many are rumored to be not completely empty. Spirits have been seen wandering the streets at night, along with frequenting local establishments, including old antebellum homes that have been converted into bed-and-breakfasts.

New Orleans entertains its share of Civil War ghosts, along with all the other spiritual entities that thrive there. The Beauregard-Keyes house is said to play host to its former owner, General P.G.T. Beauregard. On several occasions, witnesses have heard and/or seen Beauregard's Confederates charge through the dining room, complete with yelling, screaming, gunfire, and cannonade!

Haunted Horn Lake

Last Saturday was Halloween, and in keeping with the spirit, I went down the Haunted Trail at Latimer Lakes Park here in Horn Lake. Besides the usual ghouls, goblins, and chainsaw massacre people, this trail had the ghosts of Confederates! They chase away trespassers who dare to come near their hallowed graves on Halloween night. So beware the next time you venture South on Halloween, all you Yankee blue bellies!
(In the photo are members of Pvt. Samuel L. Hughey Camp #1452 Sons of Confederate Veterans. From left to right: Sam McGan, Commander Randy Hailey, and Lynn Herron.)

Ghosts, Goblins, and Soldiers

Since Halloween is nearly upon us, I decided to write on my blog about hauntings that have taken place in various parts of the country in regard to the Civil War. Disputably, the most haunted place is Gettysburg. This is because the town rests on what is known as a "lei line," where two intersecting fractures meet. It has something to do with energy fields beneath the earth's surface. Within Gettysburg, probably the most haunted place is the Farnsworth House.

Now an inn, the Farnsworth House saw its share during the War Between the States. Confederate sharpshooters used the garret (attic) as a vantage point to fire upon Union troops positioned on Cemetery Hill. One bullet fired by a sharpshooter supposedly traveled down the street, hitting Jennie Wade, who was the only civilian killed during the battle. Afterward, the house was used as a Federal headquarters.

There are over 100 bullet holes visible on the south side of the house, and some of the bullets that were lodged in the brickwork are on display inside. The house boasts a fabulous restaurant, a cozy tavern decorated with memorabilia from the movie, "Gettysburg," and the guestrooms are decorated in beautiful Victorian style. Guests and staff have witnessed strange occurrences on several occasions. Some of the servers have had mysterious encounters in that someone or something yanks their aprons. Others have seen apparitions in the forms of women in period dress and soldiers, or have been tapped on the shoulder. Phantom footsteps echo through the two-story house, and strange, eerie shadows abound.

The Farnsworth House sponsors ghost tours, and recently added a seance room in the spooky basement to replicate the Victorian notion of communicating with the dead. When my husband and I stayed at the Inn a few years ago, we didn't experience any ghostly encounters, although the room we stayed in was decorated with strange paintings. One was of Jennie Wade herself, looking straight at us from beyond. Another was a creepy Victorian angel, and a third was that of a weirdly-dressed monkey playing a mandolin. You would think the paintings would be enough to summon ghosts, but alas, I never did encounter any, even though I sat outside late at night waiting for an apparition!