Exploring the Hauntings of Battlefields
It's approaching midnight as my heart rate kicks up, the anticipation of the night to come is making me jumpy with pent up adrenaline. The same old line of questions sit on repeat in my head: Is it going to be active, or a dud? Will something terrifying happen, or will it be a friendly spirit? No matter how many times I investigate, the lead up is always the same. As I get closer to my destination, I'm so excited I can't sit still. No I'm not going to Disney World, I'm going to find ghosts. I will investigate anywhere, there's no doubt about that. An old graveyard? Yep. An abandoned hospital? Absolutely. An insane asylum? Umm...usually. But, my favorite places to explore are old battlefields. Namely American Civil War battlefields.
Battlefields are unique from other locations in almost every way. On these fields, right or wrong, healthy men fought for the side that they felt resonated best with them. They were young and old, career soldiers and fresh faced boys (some of whom had never held a gun before in their lives). These men stood side by side on the battlefield as they faced their own neighbors, friends, and in some cases, family. The result was a bloody conflict straight out of nightmares that stretched on for years before a surrender was made.
Why I'm drawn to battlefields is a mystery to me. I've had theories ranging from a simple love of Victorian history all the way to a past life. Hey, anything's possible right? Right. But whatever the reason, the fact remains...battlefield's are my investigation of choice.
Investigations:
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is the location of the most famous of the battlefield's in the US. It saw a three day battle of almost 200,000 men and over 50,000 casualties. Needless to say that it was a horrific battle. Today, the battlefield is famous for the history of the battle, yes; but also due to it's paranormal activity. It's actually considered as one of the top ten most haunted places in the world. As I mentioned in the podcast, Gettysburg was where I experienced my first paranormal event when I saw ghostly soldiers marching across the field. That'll get your attention. I thought they were reenactors, they looked so real...so alive. Being only 12 or 13 at the time, I had no idea how this event would set me on a course to become a ghost hunter, paranormal investigator, whatever you want to call it.
When I decided to go professional with paranormal investigating, I knew I needed to head back to where it all started, Gettysburg. By this point, twenty years had passed and I wasn't sure how this was going to go. Over the next year, I would make three separate trips to Gettysburg and come away with some of the best evidence I have ever caught. In one clip there is the sound of regimental drums sounding as ghostly soldiers are gearing up for a battle unseen to the living. Perhaps they are stuck in a residual time loop? Maybe this is how they pass eternity. In another clip, an extraordinarily odd voice can be heard screaming "down."
I remember one night, long past dark, I sat in my parked car next to a set of cannons when I caught sight of movement in the treeline beyond. I was able to capture what appears to be a soldier with his knapsack on his back, moving towards the woods.
I have stayed in a former field hospital where a blood stain from the 158 year old battle still remains. The camera picks up all kinds of footsteps all around me that I did not hear while there. That night, I slept in a room said to be haunted by a soldier who loves the ladies, especially blonde ladies. As I happen to be blonde, I thought this would be the room for me. The rumors were in fact true. He kept waking me up throughout the night as he pulled at the blankets, touched my hair and cheek, and even messed with the lights ALL NIGHT.
One of the best paranormal experiences that I have had in Gettysburg, however, was with a ghost named Tennessee. Tennessee was a former slave who somehow ended up as a spirit at the famous Sachs Covered Bridge, not more than a mile or so from the edge of the battlefield. Tennessee likes cigarettes and, according to legend, if you leave a cigarette on the railing, Tennessee will not only move it on command, but also smoke it. Seems unbelievable right? I thought so too. Check out the video below where you can witness Tennessee and his cigarette in action along with some of the other evidence I have caught along the way.
Besides video evidence, I've caught many photographic anomalies like these here:
I could go on and on, about my experiences at Gettysburg alone, not to mention the many other battlefield's I've investigated along the way. I could even tell you stories about the haunted items I've purchased over time, all related to the war as well as their back stories. But it would take a long time. Instead, I will leave you with this photo of some of my most favorite haunted items in my collection and an open invitation to join me (Hauntings Around America) on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok (yes I know), or even YouTube, as I explore haunted history all over the US. Until then, take care of yourself and each other and I will see you on the next hunt.
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Amazon links: https://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-Around-America-Erin-Egnatz-ebook/dp/B086RVJSN3/ref=sr_1_3?
Podcast episode Link:https://www.podpage.com/haunted-history-chronicles/ghosts-of-war-exploring-the-hauntings-of/
