An Explanation for the Hauntings at Gettysburg

January 18, 2023August 25, 2023 Alex Matsuo1 Comment

Publishing Note: This is a condensed version of an upcoming article that will be published in the September 2023 issue of Haunted Magazine for the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Stay tuned!

****Content Warning: This piece includes graphic details of war and includes images of the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg with corpses.****

On July 1-3, 1863, an isolated town in Pennsylvania found itself as the center point of one of the bloodiest skirmishes that is often described as the turning point of the Civil War.

One could argue that Gettysburg is one of the most paranormally charged locations in the United States, if not the world. In order to examine the hauntings of Gettysburg, one must examine multiple factors. The explanation, “Lots of people died”, is too one-dimensional in Gettysburg’s case.

Before the Bloodshed: A Little College Town

Prior to the Civil War, Gettysburg was a small college town that was founded in 1786 and named after a tavern owner named Samuel Gettys. In 1806, the area attracted many travelers and settlers thanks to the ten major roads that intersected in the town and “All roads lead to Gettysburg” would become a well-known saying.

Gettysburg’s legacy before 1863 was being the home to the Lutheran Theological Seminary, founded in 1820, as well as Gettysburg College, which was established in 1832. Today, it’s evident that Gettysburg’s legacy is overwhelmed with not only the battle, but also its ghosts.

Trauma in the Aftermath

There isn’t much discussion on just how traumatized and destroyed the town of Gettysburg was in the aftermath because so much focus is on the battle.

Sullivan, Timothy H, photographer. View of Gettysburg from Cemetery Hill. [Photographed 1863, july, printed between 1880 and 1889] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2014646001/>.

Crops, homes, businesses, and barns were destroyed. There wasn’t enough food to go around for everyone plus a short supply of clean water. There were thousands of soldiers that needed care and medical attention. Some of the wounded soldiers stayed as long as January 1864, which added more strain to the town and its economy.

Most of the local women took it upon themselves to care for as many wounded soldiers as they could in their homes in the meantime. Bloody limbs were left in piles or buried in the ground. The U.S. Sanitary Commission and the U.S. Christian Commission eventually came with much needed medical supplies and provisions.

Gardner, Alexander, photographer. Headquarters of the Sanitary Commission, Gettysburg, PA. [Photographed 1863, printed between 1880 and 1889] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2014646000/>.

The day after the battle, it rained hard. Any shallow graves that had been dug were washed away, leaving thousands of bodies exposed to the elements. That’s not counting the thousands of bodies (both dead and alive) that were left lying in the summer heat of July. Needless to say, it stunk.

The locals couldn’t get to all of the bodies right away. Wild hogs ate several of the corpses that were on the battlefield. The townspeople dabbed their handkerchiefs with peppermint oil to help manage the stench of rotting flesh of the dead. According to historians, the stench could be smelled for miles outside of town.

Treatment of the Dead

Gettysburg is considered one of the most devastating man-made disasters in history. As the devastation of Gettysburg spread through the media, photographers came for purposes of documenting the devastation. Photos were shot of the dead bodies as they were strewn about the field and around the town.

However, some of these photos were staged.

Photographer Alexander Gardner and his team of photography assistants headed off to Gettysburg in hopes of claiming his own legacy. Before Gettysburg, Matthew Brady commissioned Gardner to take photos of the Battle of Antietam’s aftermath. Gardner’s photos shocked the nation, but Brady got all the credit. Gardner left Brady and started his own gallery in order to build his own legacy.

O’Sullivan, Timothy H, and Alexander Gardner, photographer. Battle-field of Gettysburg–Dead Confederate sharpshooter at foot of Little Round Top i.e., Devil’s Den. [photographed July, printed later] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/91732531/>.

Gardner would take one of the most famous photos of the aftermath of the battle. Known as “Dead Confederate soldier in Devil’s Den,” this heartbreaking photo is of a young man in a Confederate uniform laying behind a stone barricade. It haunted everyone who gazed upon the photo.

But it wasn’t until 1961 when the illustrator for Civil War Times magazine, Frederick Ray, discovered that the body was photographed twice in two different locations. It was realized that Gardner and his assistant, Timothy O’Sullivan, dragged the body around the battlefield and staged several photos.

In 1975, William Frassanito discovered that the Confederate sharpshooter in the photo wasn’t actually a sharpshooter and didn’t die at Devil’s Den. In his book, Gettysburg: A Journey in Time, Frassanito examined the soldier’s uniform and realized that his body was moved 72 yards from its original location. The soldier was eventually identified as Andrew Johnston Hoge. This made it easier to determine that his regiment was not involved in the fighting at Devil’s Den.

With such disrespect and exploitation happening to the bodies, we can consider that this could have an impact on paranormal activity, since the remains were used to tell a different narrative of the battle. Perhaps the spirits of these men are still active so that they can have a more accurate version of their story and restore a proper legacy.

Ghost Tourism Explodes

In January 1991, Mark Nesbitt published his book, Ghosts of Gettysburg. In the book, he refers to his experiences as a park ranger and having paranormal experiences while doing night time security checks in places like Devil’s Den. He also references several others who had experiences at the battlefield and around town. Nesbitt is now known as one of the experts in hauntings at Gettysburg today and runs his own ghost tours. Today, there’s an entire street dedicated to the different paranormal tours and investigations that go through the town night after night.

Some ambitious ghost hunters will even try to sneak onto the battlefield at night and try to sneak in an investigation, which is not allowed. More publicly accessible places like Sachs Bridge are frequented by dozens of visitors nightly, especially in the warmer months.

*Sachs Bridge. Photo credit: Alex Matsuo*

Some park rangers today with the National Park Service will tell you that the battlefield isn’t haunted. However, according to various historians, locals have come forward to share their own paranormal experiences to friends and neighbors as early as the 1870s.

The majority of the ghost tour groups in Gettysburg are exceptional and strive for accuracy. But, mistakes happen. Intentional deceit can also happen to make a story more dramatic…just like Gardner and his staging of corpses for a more dramatic picture.

Constant Retelling of the Story

Each monument and statue on the battlefield is a testament to those soldiers, many standing where they once stood. They stand as ghosts in the vast emptiness in the field, representing the memories and legacies of the hundreds of stories tied to the battle. Each ghost story is tied to a person who was once alive, even if we don’t know their name. Whether it’s just the essence of their energy or a fully conscious apparition of that person, they are being constantly reminded of the devastation that happened between July 1-3, 1863.

There are licensed battlefield guides, books, and auto tours that tell the story over and over again. Nearly one million visitors come to Gettysburg each year to experience the story of the battle. That means that the stories are told at least one million times every year. One can only imagine how intense this energy is on a daily basis and how much it permeates into the soil of the town.

The constant retelling of the story could very well be the reason that the energy from the battle, and the energy of those who were alive at the time, doesn’t have a moment to rest. As presenters tell the story, they have their own vibration level as they go through the journey. There are emotional reactions to facts of the war. Even the regular visitor who has heard the story dozens of times will still have a reaction.

Plus, there are over 1,300 monuments on the battlefield. Thus, over 1,300 places to pause and remember the events that happened and lives lost. This is an incredible amount of concentration in one place.

Knowing what we know today about how anomalies like thoughtforms and egregores are created, could it be possible that the spirits of Gettysburg could very well have been created by the one million people that visit each year?

Dressing Up for the Role

What is also a regular occurrence at Gettysburg is people dressing up in period clothing. It’s not uncommon to see people dressed in period clothing standing in line with you at McDonalds or at Walmart. It’s just the nature of the area. But not only are people dressing up, they’re roleplaying. Re-enactments also happen in various capacities.

The tour company Ghostly Images once hosted nights where an actress performs as Mary Wade at the Jennie Wade House. During the performance, Mary recounts the day she lost her daughter. It’s an emotional performance that takes place right in the kitchen where Jennie died.

The emotional journey that accompanies the performance could also be a trigger or even a conduit for paranormal activity in locations like the Jennie Wade House. It could be why many people who visit the location feel odd sensations and emotions standing at the spot where Jennie was kneading dough before the bullet pierced her heart.

*Jennie Wade House. Photo credit: Alex Matsuo*

Ghostly Images also heads up the similar dramatic offerings at the Orphanage. There, they have an actress dressed up as the cruel headmistress, Rosa J. Carmichael, to tell the story of the Orphanage.

But could it be possible that the presence of people in 19th century clothing could be fueling the energy and keeping the spirits of the period “awake” so to speak? They see someone relatable from their time period and may reach out and relate to them.

It’s been often said that the lack of closure fueled the Spiritualism movement to its peak. But it also could make a strong case for hauntings by these soldiers if one believes the lore of a spirit having unfinished business. The inability to say goodbye to loved ones or be laid to rest with family, let alone be found and identified…to have their name…could certainly have an impact on the hauntings at Gettysburg.

The Sensory Experience

Gettysburg is a sensory experience. When one visits the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, they offer a film, the Cyclorama, and the museum exhibit. The film, “A New Birth of Freedom”, is a 22-minute background of Gettysburg narrated by Morgan Freeman and a few other celebrity voices.

The Cyclorama is a 360-degree hand-painted canvas that’s four stories tall and depicts Pickett’s Charge. There’s music, dramatic narration, cannon fire, gunshots, and lighting effects that direct your attention to different parts of the painting from the perspective of standing on the Union line of Cemetery Ridge. As the artillery rages on, you hear the line spoken by a Confederate soldier, “Slowly but steadily we marched forward. Every step some poor fellow would fall and as his pitiful cry would come to my ear, I almost imagined it the wail of some loved one he left at home.” This aids visitors in creating an emotional connection to the battle.

Finally, the museum’s extensive exhibit, which include artifacts, flags, campsites, artillery, and so much more.

Between the emotional and sensory experience, there is an exchange of energy occurring. The artifacts could potentially have their own energy. Add in the energy coming from the living who are looking at these items plus the emotional energy, one could argue that there’s an elevated charge to these items outside of conventional “haunted” objects. This could possibly make an impact on the energy of Gettysburg, but also, quite possibly, awaken potential past life memories as the vibrations of the artillery roars through the room.

A Case for Thought Forms & Biases

If one believes that energy can be absorbed into the stones and into the ground, then Gettysburg is filled with energy that comes from not just those three days in battle, but also the years of trauma and recovery. This energy could certainly play a role in the paranormal activity experienced by visitors including residual hauntings, emotional reactions, flashbacks, and more.

One could make the cast that most of the hauntings at Gettysburg could be created by the living. Between hearing and living the stories daily, could this be enough concentration and energy transference that we’re creating a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Or could the paranormal investigators visiting the area are so eager (and maybe desperate) to have an experience that they manifest activity? Then they share their experience with others, not realizing it was of their own creation. Possibly, then the people they shared their experience with try to recreate the experience of their own and provide their concentration and energy, thus fueling a man-made paranormal experience.

There’s also the possibility that paranormal investigators may come in with a bias. That bias could be that any strange sound, noise, or sighting is paranormal. It could also be that any activity that takes place must be coming from the events of 1863 because of the location.

Conclusion

With the constant storytelling, people dressed in period clothing, and investigators looking for spirits to talk to, I truly think that most of the activity relating to the battle is residual. Meaning, it’s like a broken record player replaying a moment repeatedly.

There is a strong possibility there are conscious spirits from the battle still residing in the area. The hauntings of Gettysburg are some of the most staggering cases of paranormal activity. There are multiple layers to the paranormal activity, which means that researchers and investigators must consider their approach on a case-by-case basis.

It’s hard to determine what causes the activity at Gettysburg. But one thing we could agree on is that all of the factors noted do not allow the energy to rest. They’re constantly being woken up and kept awake, much like a baby waking up their parents.

Bodies disappear, but these spirits remain. It was a tremendous loss that we still feel the vibrations of today. For decades after the battle, it was said that the land itself cried out in anguish.

If you listen carefully, you may still hear it cry today.

If you want to read more Gettysburg-related ghost content, here’s a blog I wrote in 2020 about the same subject but diving into different theories like the Stone Tape Theory.

Works Cited

“7 Gettysburg Myths and Misconceptions.” American Battlefield Trust, 26 Apr. 2021, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/7-gettysburg-myths-and-misconceptions.

Destination Gettysburg. “History of Gettysburg, PA.” Destination Gettysburg, https://destinationgettysburg.com/history-of-gettysburg/.

“Gettysburg.” American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/gettysburg.

Hamilton, Michelle L. “The Jennie Wade House.” The Feminine Macabre, edited by Amanda R Woomer, vol. 1, 2021, pp. 232–236.

History.com Editors. “Battle of Gettysburg.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-gettysburg.

“History.” Gettysburg PA, Borough Government of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, https://www.gettysburgpa.gov/history.

Nesbitt, Mark. Ghosts of Gettysburg: Spirits, Apparitions, and Haunted Places of the Battlefield. Second Chance Publications, 2015.

Porch, Kathryn, and Susan M. Boardman. Elizabeth Thorn of Gettysburg: The Wartime Caretaker of Evergreen Cemetery. Gettysburg Publishing, 2015.

Ruane, Michael E. “After 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, a Grisly but Noble Enterprise to Honor the Fallen.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 Sept. 2013, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/after-1863-battle-of-gettysburg-a-grisly-but-noble-enterprise-to-honor-the-fallen/2013/09/12/769c47e6-163c-11e3-a2ec-b47e45e6f8ef_story.html.

Sabol, John G. The Good Death and the Civil War: The Haunting of an American Battlefield. 2014.

Why is Gettysburg So Haunted?

August 18, 2020August 18, 2020 Alex Matsuo

Long time no see!

I realize I broke away from my weekly routine, but there’s a good reason for that! After this recent Gettysburg trip, I was EXHAUSTED. Just a few days after my return, I had to have major surgery. That kicked my butt. I’m just NOW feeling like my old self again. I have some limitations. But luckily, I can write and make a quick video.

Originally, I was heading to Gettysburg for the Battlefield Bash, which was supposed to take place July 24th-26th. Because of COVID-19 and event restrictions, the event had to be canceled. Such is life in a COVID world. But, the AirBnB that my team and I booked was non-refundable. So, we were going anyway!

First Time for Everything

This was my first time staying in an actual house in Gettysburg. Previously, I had always stayed in a hotel or a motel. This house is known as “Pearl’s Place” on AirBnB, and it was overall, a fantastic experience. We’re pretty sure it’s haunted as well. During my first night, while trying to sleep, I kept feeling tugs on my CPAP tube and it kept waking me up. When I checked the tube, nothing was catching it. After the third time of this happening, I said, “This helps me breathe when I sleep.” After that…nothing. I slept peacefully.

I also encountered shadows and footsteps in the hallway. During our first few nights, we were aggressively trying to debunk any sounds we were hearing through experimentation. It’s fun to go on adventures with your team! The resident ghost(s) made other appearances in different ways, but that’s a story for my teammates to tell when they’re ready.

With Gettysburg Ghost Tours, we went to the farmhouse and the McCurdy School House. We also investigated the Farnsworth House Inn as well as the Jennie Wade House and the Orphanage. Even though I’ve been to the farmhouse, Jennie Wade, and the Orphanage before, I had completely new experiences.

Why is Gettysburg Haunted?

As I reflect on this trip, it made me ponder exactly why Gettysburg is haunted. I’ve compiled a shortlist of my theories and reasons why it’s haunted.

Reason #1: A Lot Happened

Between July 1-3, 1863, a lot happened in Gettysburg. This was one of the bloodiest battles happening on American soil. And the townsfolk of Gettysburg also had their own trials and tribulations just trying to survive. This was a literal assault on the grounds and it was like a lightning strike of turmoil and death. Gettysburg was absolutely traumatized and ravaged from the battle, and it took them years to recover. That alone is enough to warrant some sort of lingering energy. Perhaps there are spirits that still wander the land, confused as to what actually happened to them.

One could even argue that a lot of the intelligent hauntings that are taking place at Gettysburg are those of spirits who don’t know who are dead, because everything happened so fast. On the other end, my friend Michelle Hamilton told me about the idea that Jennie Wade is still haunting Gettysburg and is very aware of what is happening around her. She’s even considered the town gossip of the paranormal world. I guess if she didn’t live long enough to live her best life in the 1800s, she’s doing it right now.

Reason #2: Stone Tape Theory

While the Stone Tape Theory itself is a bit of an unstable claim to base this on. I’ll go about the idea that the land itself absorbed all of that energy from the battle. For decades, people have commented that there’s a special kind of energy at Gettysburg. You can feel the difference. You can feel the trauma and the aftermath of the battle itself. With the absorption of all of that energy, it’s sure to bleed out.

In this case, since we are still feeling that energy over 150 years later. Maybe that’s why people report hearing rebel yells, cannon fire, gunshots, and seeing reenactors (even though no reenactment is scheduled)? These aren’t intelligent hauntings. Instead, this is residual energy that is replaying over and over like a broken record.

Reason #3: Retelling the Story

The story of Gettysburg has never had a chance to rest. Even after the battle, the town was focused on recovering the town and trying to get back to normal. Just a few months after the battle, Lincoln came to town and gave his famous Gettysburg Address when the Soldiers’ National Cemetery opened. The town’s identity became the Battle of Gettysburg.

Today, people are constantly retelling the story. Whether it’s the museum with its film, cyclorama, and artifacts, people taking the Auto Tour, or even just shopping around, the story is constantly being retold. That energy is being reawakened on a daily basis. Because of this, you could say that the energy from retelling is story is constantly charging up the hauntings at Gettysburg.

Reason #4: We Want it to Be Haunted

This is not only a case of self-fulfilling prophecy but also a case where we can explore the ideas of thoughtforms and tulpas. In the event of self-fulfilling prophecy, if we ghost hunters go out to look for a ghost, and in Gettysburg of all places, then usually, a ghost shall be found. This happens more often than we think. When different tour companies tell us their ghost stories before the ghost hunt or candlelight tour, we have a heightened sense of anticipation. When this happens, we may very well mistake a simple creak as a terrifying ghost. From there, more stories are created.

On a completely nerdy note, there’s also the idea that people can create their own ghosts and hauntings. Some people call these “thoughtforms” or “tulpas.” The Philip Experiment is a great example of this. However, the experiment took years with a group of people meeting once a week. A tulpa takes years of intense concentration to manifest. Because humans typically don’t spend this amount of time on concentration during a ghost hunt, I’m not completely satisfied with this idea.

Reason #5: Modern Hauntings Mistaken for Civil War Hauntings

I don’t think all of the hauntings people encounter are tied to the Civil War. I often wonder if the strength of the Civil War-based paranormal world has given strength to more modern hauntings. Sadly, I do wonder if maybe the hauntings that have started after the Battle have been automatically contributed to the events of 1863. It’s odd because while trying to preserve history, we may very well be a part of the problem that is erasing it.

After Thoughts

I have to also wonder what the percentage of hauntings and ghosts stories are from the battle and how many others are just “regular” hauntings from the most normal things. Gettysburg continues to be a place where ghost hunters will often flock to in order to have that one amazing experience that may very well prove the existence of ghosts. But, how many people will encounter a ghost when they weren’t looking for it? Like, they’re just there to be tourists and take in the history of that great battle. When this happens, I have to wonder if there will always be lost souls wandering this great battlefield, looking for someone who can hear them.

10 Amazing Haunted Places in Gettysburg You Can’t Miss!

July 28, 2020September 8, 2020 Alex Matsuo

I’ve been covering Gettysburg a LOT lately. Truly, it’s my favorite place in the world, not just for history, but also for the ghosts! Whenever I talk to people about Gettysburg, the first question that comes up the most is, “So where should I go to find some ghosts?” That’s a loaded question! Truth be told, Gettysburg is a spiritually dense place. Almost every inch of it has some sort of ghostly activity. I joke all the time that you can throw a rock and hit a ghost wherever you are!

If you want to go ghost hunting while in Gettysburg, then these places should be on your list. I’ll make a note if you need to contact a specific company to arrange a tour or an investigation. Are these the only places where you can find ghosts? Of course not! I’m starting with the places I’ve already been to. I’ll be doing a part two in the future!

Sachs Covered Bridge

Sachs Bridge Gettysburg haunted ghosts Confederacy

Built in 1854, legend says that three Confederate deserters were hung next to this bridge during the Battle of Gettysburg. It is also said that wounded Confederate soldiers rested on the banks of the creek to recover. But what many don’t know is that the day after the Battle of Gettysburg ended, it rained. From that rain, the creek overflowed and numerous Confederate soldiers drowned. What is definitely true is that both the Union and Confederate used this bridge during and after the battle.

People who have visited here have reported cold spots in the middle of summer. Others have seen bodies hanging from the trees. Other reports include smelling cigar smoke, getting tapped on the shoulder (with no one there), as well as three disembodied heads on the bridge. Finally, gunshots and cannon fire have been heard at night.

Devil’s Den

“Jesus Himself would not investigate Devil’s Den…”These were the first words I heard when I was talking about doing an EVP session at Devil’s Den, which sits at the bottom of Little Round Top on the battlefield. July 2nd, 1863 marked the second (and bloodiest) day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Union soldiers used the hill to counterfire the Confederates before the First Texas Regiment eventually took it over. Confederate sharpshooters hid in between the rocks to fire at the Union soldiers on Little Round Top. Many of the Confederate soldiers in the rocks died from the concussion of air. After the second day of the battle, the dead and wounded were spread all over Devil’s Den. What was the most heartbreaking is that the wounded soldiers were crying for their mother in agony throughout the night.

Ghost seekers who visit Devil’s Den report that their cameras and phones will glitch while trying to take a picture. Not only that, but paranormal equipment will run out of batteries or stop functioning all together. Apparitions appear moments before the tech breaks. When the ghost seekers leave the battlefield, the broken technology starts working again. On the windy road behind Devil’s Den, people have seen apparitions of soldiers, particulary soldiers waving their amputated limbs in the middle of the road.

Battlefield Farm House

You can only visit this location through Gettysburg Ghost Tours. This particular location is interesting, and it has also been the center of some controversy. While it seems the foundation of the house was built in 1830, sites like Realtor claim that the house was built in 1865. Given I’ve seen the foundation myself, that in of itself is probably 100+ years old. The rest of the house does look a lot more modern, but that could be due to renovations. Either way, it’s haunted. There is plenty of activity waiting for you. The stories told by the guides I’ve worked with over the years seem to be true. What I really like about this place is that it is located right along the battlefield near Culp’s Hill and across the street and down the road from Evergreen Cemetery.

I had a few very personal experiences at the Battlefield Farmhouse. One of them wasn’t even related to the Battle of Gettysburg at all. My mother came through May 2017. I didn’t realize it at the time, but when midnight struck during our investigation, it was Mother’s Day. The last time my team and I were there (July 2020), we couldn’t help but notice a lot of shadows running through the trees behind the black gate. We also watched lights behind the trees, as if someone was holding a lantern.

McCurdy School House

The McCurdy School House was a surprising experience for my team and me. We ran into something extremely negative that really shook one of my mediums. We kept hearing a grown man’s voice act as though it were a child. Needless to say, we know why there’s a photo of Jesus in one of the rooms. This place has a ton of history. It was built in the 1800s and it was a stone structure at the time of the battle. The white bench you see in the photo on the right has had some ghostly activity. As soon as I sat in it, I felt like I was being touched. The guide told me that people have heard the voice of a young boy, and also felt like they were being touched. If you would like to investigate this place for yourself, contact Gettysburg Ghost Tours.

Daniel Lady Farm

I had the unique opportunity to participate in a Ghost Excavation, led by John Sabol and his team at the Daniel Lady Farm. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Sabol and his work, I highly recommend checking him out! This place is so special. It was used as General Ewell’s headquarters, and about 10,000 Confederate troops were camped out around the property. Wounded officers were tended to in the house while wounded soldiers stayed in the barn. As most Civil War hospitals go, they were mainly a place for death and amputations. And in case you’re wondering, yes, cadaver dogs scoped the area and they found mass graves of amputated limbs.

During our Ghost Excavation, we focused on the attic in the house in the beginning, where ghostly children were eager to play with us. The team also did simulated amputations in the barn, and then the women scoped the land around the barn looking for lost loved ones…all while wearing Civil War attire. After we were out of the house, all of the lights were turned off, and yet, we saw a light in the second-floor window. Like the field next to the Battlefield Farmhouse, I also saw a lantern-like glow in the woods. Mr. Sabol and his team also caught incredible audio of gunshots, cannon fire, and men screaming.

Since I wasn’t a part of the organization of this opportunity, I’m not sure how it was arranged. But, it is worth a visit to the Daniel Lady Farm for its historical value alone. There are bloodstains on the floor of the house, as well as blood splatters on the walls of the barn. It was bought by the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association in 1999, who played a huge role in restoring it.

Tillie Pierce House Inn

The Tillie Pierce House Inn is so haunted that it has been featured by many paranormal television shows. Tillie Pierce was just a teenager during the Battle of Gettysburg, and she became famous after writing a book of her accounts during Gettysburg and the Civil War. Before she was even old enough to drive by today’s standards, she was amputating limbs, sewing up, and dressing wounds of soldiers.

The Tillie Pierce House Inn continues to keep its tradition of being one of the most haunted places in Gettysburg. It’s occurrence of paranormal activity remains fairly consistent. For example, in the Blue Room where Tillie treated countless soldiers, footsteps are often heard. Guests at the inn have also heard a woman singing, seen troops patrolling the area, a soldier walking up and down the stairs, seeing ghosts sitting at the edge of their bed, and countless ghost children. Luckily, the ghosts haunting the Tillie Pierce House Inn seem to be all friendly.

When I was at the Tillie Pierce House Inn, I went under the Ganzfeld Experiment in the Blue Room, you can read my account here. I felt like I had made contact with something in the house, and I was overwhelmed by a feeling of sadness.

Hoffman Mansion

Sadly, this property is no longer available for investigations. However, you can still visit and admire from the outside…or look for ghosts in the windows! The property sits in front of the Eisenhower Hotel, and the grounds are definitely haunted. It stood as a hospital for the Union during the Battle, and it looks like this sits right on the line of Pickett’s Charge. This means, there was a lot of bloodshed especially around this time. When I visited this place, you could only book this location through Gettysburg Ghost Tours. The story behind this location is that years after the Civil War, a girl committed suicide in the house. Black masses have been seen in corners as well as a spooky woman walking down the stairs.

While I was investigating this location, I kept feeling a cool breeze as well as seeing a black mass out of the corner of my eye. When I asked one of the guides what the deal was with that particular corner on the second floor, he said that was where the girl was found hanging after she took her own life.

National Soldiers’ Orphanage Homestead

Where do I begin? I’ve been investigating the Orphanage since 2011. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been here now. I had my most alarming paranormal experience at this location. To sum up the history briefly, after the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War, you can imagine that there were a lot of displaced kids. There was an overload of orphans. The Civil War wiped out entire families.

The Orphanage was opened in 1866, and it started off as a wonderful place. However, the first headmistress was replaced by a woman named Rosa J. Carmichael, and she wasn’t quite so nice. She ended up being a cruel person who even built a dungeon in the basement to punish children. She also commissioned a few of the older kids to carry out some of the harsher punishments. There is a legend of a murdered infant buried in the back, and the numerous children that still haunt the location can’t cross over because of Rosa.

Remember I mentioned my most terrifying experience? Well, it was with Rosa. While the orphanage is overall a fairly positive place, Rosa’s presence changes the mood immediately. She tends to stay in the darker area on the other side of the basement, but will come when beckoned. Every time I visit, I feel like Rosa is expecting me, and she never underdelivers with the creepiness.

Jennie Wade House

The Jennie Wade House is another location I’ve investigated numerous times over the years. It has always given me something a little different. In July 1863, Jennie Wade and her mother were visiting her sister at their house (who just had a baby). Jennie was kneading dough and making bread for the soldiers when a rogue bullet hit her from behind, killing her instantly. Because the Battle of Gettysburg was still going on, Jennie’s body had to be taken to the basement.

A few Union soldiers assisted the family in transport, to the point where they had to cut a hole through the wall (the house was basically a duplex) and down into the basement. There, Jennie’s family had to wait out the battle with her corpse laying next to them. Jennie was only 19 years old when she died, and she was the only civilian to lose their life during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Today, Jennie’s ghost is said to be the “town gossip” of Gettysburg. My friend Michelle Hamilton and I concluded that Jennie is living her best “afterlife” since her life was cut so short. When I investigate the Jennie Wade House, I often hear the sound of children playing on the second floor. There’s a chain on the second floor that often moves without anyone touching it, and the K2 meter goes nuts. The basement is also active, but I think that’s the spirit of Jennie’s father.

Farnsworth House Inn

The Farnsworth House Inn was an unexpected surprise for me. I’ll be upfront and say that the majority of the activity we got was inside the house and in the basement. The house is named after Brigadier General Elon John Farnsworth, who lost his life after leading the charge after the failed Pickett’s Charge. Farnsworth lost 65 of his men. During the Battle, the house was used by Confederate sharpshooters, and one of those bullets is believed to have taken the life of Jennie Wade. If you look on the walls, you’ll see over 100 bullet holes, and they still remain today.

The house served as a hospital, and the owner, Harvey Sweney, had to take shelter in the basement during the Battle. At this time, the basement was a little crawl space, and the hospital was above him. You may know that the floors of Civil War hospitals had holes in them so the blood could drain through. It’s safe to assume Sweney was living in a literal bloodbath during the Battle.

Today, there is constant paranormal activity occurring in the house and in the campground behind it. There is a ghost cat that roams the inside, nearly tripping the living. The basement is haunted by several entities that are eager to talk. If you would like to go on a ghost hunt at the Farnsworth House Inn, you can go on one of their many amazing tours, and tell them Alex sent you.