A visit to Antietam Battlefield

Like Gettysburg Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg Maryland saw it's share of death. The battle claimed more than 23,000 men killed, wounded, and missing in one single day, September 17,1862
I had heard stories of hauntings so I wanted to see it for myself
Some claim that Dunker Church is haunted by soldiers

One of the most impressive areas of the battlefield is an area called Sunken Road or Bloody Lane,
Things like gun fire, have been heard. Smoke has been smelled and voices heard in this area.

Farmers had used this road to travel and on the day of battle Confederate General Hill placed all of his men (about 2,600) on this road. When the Union Army arrived with 5,000 men the fighting was so horrific that the
It was told that the Blood was literally "flowing like a river". This battle was one of the bloodiest battles fought at Antietam. More than 5,000 men lost there lives here.

Another area of the battlefield famous for being haunting is Burnside Bridge

Sounds of phantom drums have been heard here, along with blue lights near the bridge at night.

Other places on the battlefield with reports of hauntings include the Pry house.

This home was used by General McClellan as his headquarters during the battle. General Hooker was also brought here and treated of wounds he recieved in the battle as was General Israel B. Richardson, Richardson died 6 months later in this house from his wounds.
Reports here include seeing a woman in old fashioned clothing walking down the stairs. Footsteps have also been heard going up and down the stairs and faces in the window of a woman.
It is a fact that General Richaardson wife came and took care of him on his death bed. Could this be her?
We will never know, but I left Antietam knowing I had visited yet another haunted battlefield.

Talking to Ben

As mentioned in my previous post we were able to use the "ghost box" while in Gettysburg with some results.
Of course being a true ghost hunter I wanted to wait until night to get out on the battlefield and choose one of my favorite spots. Sach Bridge
Sach Bridge ws used by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia to retreat into Virginia after the battle. It has also been report that three Confederate hangings took place from the bridge rafters. The area around the bridge was also used as a field hosptial and rumor has it that unclaimed bodies are still buried in the woods there.
We arried early just before dark and took a look around


As dark approched we met up with a friend of mine from Facebook who lived in town. Mary had been investigation the area often and we enjoyed  meeing her. It was also nice to have a third person along. This way we felt like if three of us heard the same thing on the ghost box that it wasnt our imagination
As we began walking around we took some photos

We also started asking questions.
First we ask if we could get a name...crackle...gibberish, then clearly we heard BEN
How old are you ben. 22 came the answer
Where are you from Ben,, more static..then JOHNNY REB, MA'AM
We ask things like are you trapped here YES
Do you have any brothers or sisters..SISTER
I ask do you know what year this is? We got the number FOUR, which confused me, because the battle was in 1863, I then said "Ben the battle was July 1863" I got answer FOUR, it then cccured to me that the Confederates crossed the bridge JULY FOUR,
We then ask..Ben are you tired, do you want us to go..NO WALK
so we walked..I wasnt about to argue with a ghost ha ha.
We went to the other side of the bridge where we took more photos, walked around ask a few questions. Just look how big this orb is between my husband and I in this photo that Mary took of us.

Then once again ask. Do we need to go. YES we got this time.
We thanked BEN for talking to us..Told him to stay there (you should always do this so they dont follow you home) and left. We went back into the bridge itself and took some more photos. Here are some of them

Notice the orbs in these photos
All in all it turned out to be an interesting night, and I am looking forward to going back to this location again.

Gettysburg Trip Reviewed

My trip to Gettysburg over the weekend turned out great as usual. We took our new "ghost box" radio we made from the radio shack 12-587 transistor radio. At first I wasn't sure how we were suppose to be able to "talk" to a spirit using this, but as we played with it awhile I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was working.
It did take a little practice but as I worked with it and ask questions I was finding that the answers I was getting did make sense and they were always given in the same voice. Now you might be wondering what I mean by that so let me explain.
The idea behind the "ghost box" we made is to modify a simple radio so when you set it on scan it does NOT stop on channel but keep scanning. Once locked in place, it will continue to scan until you manually release it. Picture your car radio, as you scan for a station you hear different DJ voices and snips of commercials ETC.  On this "box" it works a little like that..Only we seemed to receive more static, then out of that static we would hear a single word.
For example at one spot I ask..If anyone is here can you give me a name
I heard the names TOM and EMMETT, I also got the words DEVIL ( I was at Devils Den) I heard the words SWORD, ROCK, and a few more in this area
Very interesting to say the lest

Gettysburg Trip

I'm heading back up to Gettysburg this weekend for a few day. I will be back here soon with some updates on the trip and hopefully some ghostie adventures.
We are trying something new this time. It is a ghost box, made from the shack hack (radio from radio shack). I have never used one before so I am curious to see if we really pick anything up with it.
Guess wil see.

"The Lady" revisited

As some of you know already my grandson went through a time when he saw spirits/ghost. Several years ago he had contact with one ghost that we lovingly refer to as " The Lady". This lady showed herself to him when he was barely three, and he saw her on at lest three seperate occasions at a local children's petting farm. "The lady" we believe was married to a civil war veteran and they farmed what was at one time land from a local plantation. This gentleman we lovingly refer to as "The Papa" and also showed himself to my grandson. My daugheter and I were both witness to him spending at lest 40 minutes "walking and talking with something"
At three the grandson was not really able to let us know very much about what he saw, but now at 5 he still remembers.
Recently we revisted the farm to see just what those memories still hold.

Upon arrivng at the farm I ask him if we could go visit the Davis Family Cemetery where the family who onece lived here is buried.

As we heading up there my grandson told me that the cemetery was where he saw "the lady". Yes we replied. We ask him if he thought he might see her that day. He wasn't sure but he did go on to tell us that she looked "different" than we did. He ran on ahead of us and into the gates and up to the first grave, where he promtly said to us..I saw her (we had not pointed out the grave in anyway) He then moved to the next grave and said Him Too...

Photo showing my grandson standing by the grave of the "papa"

I was amazed at home much he remember,and even though he didnt "see" anyone there that day. I do believe he was given a special gift.

Spooky Places

As you know I always try and find the most haunted area's of Gettysburg to visit (which is almost everywhere in Gettysburg) and since I had to stay an extra few days due to some health problems my husband had, I opted for a night at the Colton Motel. While this is not one of the best motel's in town, it was clean and cheap. It is also suppose to be haunted. This motel sits where the left flank of Pickett's Charge took place on the third and final day of the battle. 12,000 men marched shoulder to shoulder and some of the bloodiest fighting took place where the motel now stands.  It is also directly across the street from the National Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery.Some of  stories that have been reported from this motel claim that showers turn on by themselves, doors lock, beds mysteriously turn down, photo have been taken by guest that show full blown Confederate Soldiers, and even on guest has reported that she saw a Confederate Soldier in her room about three A.M. He was standing in the bathroom doorway where she had left the light on all night. According to the story she woke up freezing cold and when she went to turn off the air (which is just outside the bathroom door) she saw him. As soon as she turned on the light he was gone.
Also mysterious fogs have been seen outside some rooms near the office. (We were next to the office)
While we did not experience any of these things our-self, it does leave me curious enough that I plan on booking this motel again.

What the heck is this

I've been going through my photos from our weekend in Gettysburg and ran across this one on my husband's camera, I am leaning towards it being a lighting issue but then on the other hand I am thinking hmmm
What do all you other Casper Chasers (locals word for Ghost Hunters) think?

The photo was taken at Culps Hill just a few minutes before I saw the orb.

Culp's Hill

Our trip to Gettysburg this time was on a more historic level instead of ghost hunting, but if you follow this blog at all you know I had to have at lest one experience. We did our day thing and then headed out to what I call the most creepy place on the Battlefield. Culp's Hill. This night's adventure left me still feeling the same way. Several other ghost hunters or "Casper Chasers" as some of the locals call us were in the area. I walked off in the direction of Spangler's Spring which is suppose to be haunted by the Woman in White. According to local legend, she is either a Civil War Nurse who comes to the spring in search of water for the wounded men, or a woman who commited sucide after being jilted by her married lover. I like to think she is the nurse, but no matter who she is, more than one person has claims of her existance.
I was standing near the spring taking my first photos. When I put the camera to my eye to look through the shutter I was startled by a white orb. At first my mind would not accept it, and I pushed the camera away. I quickly looked again and there is was, coming closer. Take the picture my mind said and I did just as it moved. This is the result of that photo.

After taking a few more photos I went over to talk to the other ghost hunters and was informed that "something" had thrown a large seed pod at one of them. She went on to tell me that she believed it was the woman in white who she claimed had played with her before. She said that in the past that she had thrown rocks into the woods only to have one thrown back.
It proved to be an interesting night indeed
Here are a few more photos that have orbs in them taken in the area of Culps Hill

Guess what

Guess where I am going for the weekend? GETTYSBURG PA...
ghost stories to follow!

Local History

Just a few miles from where is I live is the beautiful Lee Hall Mansion.Built between 1851 and 1859, Lee Hall Mansion was home to affluent planter Richard Decauter Lee. One of the last remaining antebellum homes on the Virginia Peninsula. Just three years after it was built the family had to abandon the home as the Peninsula became one of the first battlegrounds of the Civil War. Used briefly as the Confederate headquarters of Major General John B. Magruder and General Joseph E. Johnston a small skirmish was fought on the property. As far as we know there were no reports of anyone dying during this battle. What then has caused the rumors of haunting in the old house?  The policy is to not talk about any ghost, but I was told by a guide that voices are heard, singing, and a man talking in the house when they were there alone.  I  have personally witnessed a door opening on its own, and also know for a fact that there are reports of the town-homes next door having had strange occurances. They sit on what was once part of the plantation property. As far as I know no one has done a paranormal investigation in the house. I have made several trips there now and have never captured anything on film. Nor have I tried any EVP recordings. It is howver a beautiful place to visit and full of history.

Main House

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Kitchen

Short Update

Sorry I haven't posted to this blog in such a long time. I will be updating with some new stories soon.

Devil's Den

"Devil's Den" Located in Gettysburg PA. has the reputation of being one of the most haunted areas of the battlefield.

Drum rolls, and gun shot sounds are a common sound in this area
For some reason camera's used in this area do not function properly Batteries that were new just moments before die for no reason and photos will show up black. It is believed that this is caused by what happened after the battle.
 Photography was still new during the Civil War. Photographer Alexander Gardner was at Devil's Den a few days after the battle before the dead were removed.  In order to get a better shot, he instructed his assistants to move the bodies of dead soldiers to different locations, so he could take photos..We now believe that he moved one particular man to the pile of rocks so he could take photos. This has become one of the most well known photos of the battle.

Some people believe that the spirit of the solider can not rest, and it is him that causes the camera's of modern day tourist not to work.  Once they leave the area the camera is fine. Many visitors report hearing disembodied sounds, see orbs and have even seen shadow people in the woods nearby.

The first time I saw the above viedo I thought it was a fake. I had never been to Gettysburg. Now after visiting this area several times I am leaning towards it being real.
I have been both during the day and at night and find it most unusual.

On our recent trip this past Oct. my husband caught this orb on film. (It is at the very top of the photo)

This orb is very tiny and at the top center, but when we lighten this photo it shows up clear on the computer.
Can it be a fluke in the camera? Of course. Orbs are not really considered evidence, but they do make you think

Random

I thought you might enjoy seeing some of my favorite cemetery shots that I have taken over the years...These are random photos and are in no particular order

Tell me what you think

I have a photo in my files that I had not paid any particular attention to until I did my previous post. I was searching through looking for photos that had orbs in them when I saw this one of the cannon. Just for the heck of it I put it into Picasa so I could fill in the light to see what might show up. Much to my surprise I found this.

Click on photo and enlarge on your computer to see the details clearly

Look closely in the red circled area..Do you see the young solider? No one was there when the photo was taken..At lest no one of our world..
Let me know what you think

The Camera's Eye

Now that things have settled down somewhat from my trip to Gettysburg a few weeks ago, I thought I would go back and talk a little about some of the ghost stories surrounding the area that the "ghost hunt" took us on. As I mentioned in the previous post we were taken out to an area called "The Grove" which is on the edge of East Cemetery Hill where much of the fighting on the second day took place. One of the units fighting that day were the Louisiana Fighting Tigers. These rough and tough men were not just your ordinary solider, but were made up of the worst of the worst. Most of the men were murders or worst and had been serving time in prison when the war broke out and were promised their freedom if they fought. You can only imagine the surprise on the Union troops when they came rushing at them out of the woods that day not only rifles but hammers, rocks, sticks, knives and bare fist. The union army struck back with anything they could find and the woods were full of dead and injured men when it was over. Like much of Gettysburg men were buried where they laid in temporary graves, until months and even years later they were removed and placed in cemeteries.
Fast forward to modern times: A new middle school is built along side the battlefield. Where the stadium now stands we know that several bodies had been buried. It was along this area that my blog friend Linda and her daughter Amanda, and Amanda's friend Darci, my husband and myself explored. With Linda's permission I am posting the photos that she captured that night

This strange mist showed up in one of the first photos. No one was smoking, it was not cold enough to see your breath, and nothing we can explain made this mist. We did not see it with our eyes. Only with the camera.

The next few photos are of orbs in the area.
Now I know a lot of people don't believe an orb is anything but dust, and yes some of this might be dust, but I do believe some of these are true orbs because they seem to hold there own light

See the orb at the top

This one is near the wall

Some of the stories of haunting of this area include woman being pinched..sounds of gun fire, smells of tobacco,

Here are some photos from my previous visits to the same area

Is this dust in every photo? Or could it be the energy of lost souls, still haunting the grounds of Gettysburg...
You decide

Carved In Stone

I had heard the following story before my recent trip to Gettysburg, so of course I had to go and find this rock. I stood there for a few minutes looking at it and wondering if I should take a chance and trace the name with my finger....
Do you think I did? Read the story and then decide.
Answer at the bottom of this post.

(Please note this story was found on the Internet and in no way do I accept any credit for it. If for some reason there is a copy-right associated with this story and I have no rights to reprint it here please let me know and I will remove it ASAP...
The photograph is my property and I do have the right to post it..
Thank You.
From: Haunted Gettysburg by Jack Bochar & Bob Wasel

Since the battle fo Gettysburg and even before, myriads of tales, sightings and unconventional occurances associated with Gettysburg have been abumdant. One legend, in particular, is worthy of repeating here, for tangible testimony exists to the core of the account.

Near Devil's Den, to the right of Smith's 4th New York Battery, stands a rock, on which can be found the name, "P. NOEL" carved into it. Some locals in Gettysburg contend that the name was simply a battlefield maintenance worker who, many years ago, carved his name into the rock for reasons only known to him. Others, however, strongly argue that a young girl, named Pauline Noel, was the owner of the name carved into the rock. They said that years ago, Pauline lived in the area on her father's farm. One of life's enjoyments to Pauline was to accompany her father whenever he worked in the fields. On one disasterous day, Pauline went with her father as usual, enjoying the farming and his company when, the wagon hit a rock, throwing the young girl off. Horrified and in shock, the father jumped off only to find he was too late. What he witnessed was the lifeless body of his sweet daughter Pauline, mangled - and decapitated.

They claim that many people through the years have seen the headless body of Pauline Noel roaming the battlefield in search of her head. Legend also maintains that Pauline's spirit, while roaming the battlefield, came upon that rock and, using her fingers, burned her name into that very stone. You may believe whatever you want, but remember Pauline's story when you visit and touch the carved rock. However, - beware to those who dare run their fingers in the etched grooves of P. Noel - there awaits another part of the legend!


So did I trace the letters?

NO WAY!!!!
Legend says if you do...you will have bad luck the rest of your life!

Ghosting Around Gettysburg Part 2

After the disappointment of the "Ghost Hunt" I debated about taking a different tour. I knew I wanted to go on another one, I just wasn't sure who to pick. I have always heard that the Ghost of Gettysburg (Mark Nesbitt) had the number 1 tour, but have never booked it because I have all but memorized his books Ghost of Gettysburg. I thought I would be bored and know all the stories.
Mark has several different tours to choose from, but on the night we went the only thing offered was the Baltimore Street Tour.
When we arrived we found a large crowd, in fact it was so large that they divided us into two groups. Our guide Rogers started the tour in the courtyard, telling us not only the battle history, but the history of the home that is now the tour headquarters,


After spending a few minutes there we went across Baltimore Street to the Twin Sycamores Where we were told stories of modern day haunting. This home was standing during the battle and to learn more about it click on the link I have listed.

We then headed up the street where we heard more stories, including the one of a little boy who was an orphan. It seems that some of the young ladies at the College took pity on the young boy and hid him in there room. He stayed there for several days until the headmistress heard about him and came knocking on doors. The girls hurriedly sent him to the balcony outside the window and closed the curtains. When the headmistress knocked she made the girls come downstairs leaving the poor child outside in bitter temperatures. Several hours later they were allowed to return to there room where they rushed to the window. When they opened it, no one was there.
What had happened to the boy? They hurried outside thinking he perhaps jumped or fell, but did not see him, nor any footprints in the snow. Many years went by and new students came. The story managed to be passed on as countless students recounted it. One night one modern day young lady was studying in her room. She heard what sounded like a tapping on the window. Thinking it must be the wind she opened the curtains and there on the other side was the blue face of a young boy. She screamed and ran from the room. By the time she returned with someone the face was gone..and in its place the words

E-M P-L-E-H (Help Me)


On the out side of the window..

We also heard several other stories and very much enjoyed this tour.Would I recommend it?

Yes, this one was worth the time and money. We were also very lucky to capture two photos of "interest" I am posting them here for your judgement..

The first was taken by my husband as he looked down an alley way

You can click on this photo to enlarge it. See the yellow snake like trail?
It seems to go into the wall.
Some people believe that this is spirit activity.

The next photo also has some strange lights in it.
At first I thought maybe it was the reflection of a light source, but that does not explain how the lights are in more than one place in the photo.



Leave me a comment and let me know what you think