An Explanation for the Hauntings at Gettysburg

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.

The SHOCKING Story of How a Civil War Soldier Visited His Own Grave at Gettysburg

This week marks the 157th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. On July 1st, 1863, Union and Confederate soldiers came head-to-head in the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War. For three days, these men fought their hearts out. In total, there were over 51,000 casualties and losses from both sides. Today, we remember Gettysburg as a major turning point of the Civil War.

I fell in love with Gettysburg in May 2000. It was during my first journey to the East Coast for my 8th-grade trip. The furthest east I had ever been to was Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. Oddly enough, Gettysburg was very familiar to this 14-year old teen. Even though we spent part of the day there, it wasn’t enough. I wouldn’t get back until 2011.

In addition to researching these incredible battles, I think it’s important to read about the people who lived through these historical events. Often, the individual stories are fascinating, and we learn so much about unsung heroes. The story I’m going to tell you is really interesting, and it still has an unsolved mystery.

The Backstory

Monument for the 91st PA at Gettysburg, circa 1904

Private Stephen Kelly was born between 1833-1835 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was part of the 91st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in Company E. He mustered on August 21st, 1861. Before Gettysburg, the regiment fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of Chancellorsville. Around this time, regiments in the Union wanted to defend their home states. The 91st PA Infantry was no different. They wanted to defend their home. When word came that Lee’s army was heading North, the urge to fight was fiercer than ever.

On July 1st at 8pm, the regiment started their journey to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They arrived on July 2nd, 1863. That afternoon, they marched to Little Round Top and fought against Confederate sharpshooters hiding in Devil’s Den. On the Fourth of July, they managed to take in several Confederate prisoners.

In all, the 91st PA Infantry regiment suffered 21 casualties, which included 19 enlisted men and 2 officers.

Staring Death in the Face

Sometime after the Battle of Gettysburg, a veteran was wandering around the Pennsylvania section of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. He stopped at Stephen Kelly’s grave and looked bewildered. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

The veteran was Stephen Kelly.

How could this be? Was he a ghost? Was he looking at his future? There was a lot of confusion because Kelly was very much alive and well. The body in the pine box below was not his.

According to a few sources, Stephen Kelly wasn’t even at the Battle of Gettysburg. Well, maybe. According to one source, he was sick and in the hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. This means he may have never stepped foot in Gettsyburg in July 1863. On October 9, 1863, it was reported that Kelly was “regained from missing in action. How was this error never corrected? He mustered out on September 8th, 1864 after serving his term.

How Did This Happen?

After the Battle of Gettysburg, Samuel Weaver was enlisted to recover the bodies of Union soldiers and bury them in what would become the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. Even when Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address in November 1863, the cemetery was still incomplete. To help him take on this massive task, Weaver enlisted several contractors to dig up shallow graves. They put the remains in pine boxes for the cemetery, which was an improvement from the shallow graves on the battlefield. With so much work at hand, there were sure to be errors. The soldiers were identified by their personal belongings that were either on them or close by.

According to William C. Reiff, a canteen with Kelly’s name had been found next to the unknown soldier on Little Round Top. Some say that the unknown soldier took (or even stole) Kelly’s knapsack while he was sick.

Every Memorial Day, Kelly visited the grave of the unknown soldier. He decorated his cemetery marker with flowers, all for the poor, anonymous soul that lost his life. The world will never know who he was.

The Rest of the Story

Stephen Kelly tried to correct the error, but he was unsuccessful. So, he decided to continue honoring the soldier who died in his place. Eventually, his name was removed. Today, the grave is marked as “Unknown.”

Kelly lived the rest of his life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During his life, he held a few different jobs including a painter and a chair maker. In life, Kelly was a hermit who lived alone. On January 29th, 1889, he passed away. He was buried in a local cemetery in Philadelphia.

If you would like to visit this unknown soldier’s grave and lay some flowers yourself, go to the Pennsylvania area in Section A, Site #88.

Sources

Harrisburg Telegraph, September 9th, 1907, Page 10

Philadelphia Enquirer, February 4, 1889

Soldiers’ National Cemetery Info

Stephen Kelly’s life story: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~pa91/military/pkells1.html

A True Gettysburg Civil War Story: https://amzn.to/3fQJlu6

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:91st_PA_-_deaths

My Experience in Haunted Gettysburg

This weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend a field trip to Gettysburg, hosted by the Paranormal Research Society.  It was a weekend of much learning about experiencing activity in one of the most haunted places in the United States.  The last time I was in Gettysburg was in the year 2000 for my eighth grade trip.  So I was excited to go back to this historical landmark and hopefully have some paranormal experiences and investigate.

This trip also marked the first time I’ve participated in the Ganzfeld experiment.  For the last few months, I’ve been doing research to learn more about it and send anything I find to Sergey at PRS.  While I was excited to finally be able to participate, I was also a tad nervous.  I didn’t just do it once.  I participated four times.  My last Ganzfeld session consisted me being a sender, which I will go into in a moment.

Jennie Wade House – For those of you who don’t know, Jennie Wade was the only citizen of Gettysburg who was killed during the battle.  The house where she was shot is still preserved with the actual bullet holes still present and her wooden bread board hanging next to the stove.  This was where I did the Ganzfeld experiment the first time.  Adam Sedlock briefed me on what was going to happen and I put on the white shades, the headphones and faced the red light.  I heard banging during the experience, heard voices, felt like someone was walking around me, felt something play with my hair and I felt like I was in the presence of chaos.

Tillie Pierce House – This was where I participated in the Ganzfeld Experiment three more times.  The second time I participated, there were two people involved this time.  One being a “sender” of an image and the other being a “receiver” wearing the shades, headphones and facing the red light.  While I didn’t receive an image, I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness afterward.  After the first two experiences, I was hesitant to participate again and I initially declined a third opportunity to do it again.  However, after making contact with a presence in the house, I was asked to do the Ganzfeld experiment again.  This time, knowing what I was looking for, I agreed.  It was a positive and enriching experience.  The fourth time I did it, I was the sender along with another person.  I have to say, it was harder being a sender than it was to be the receiver.

I believe that’s as much as I can go into since this was an experiment conducted by PRS.  It was overall a great experience.  I have many more stories from Gettysburg, and I’m still in the process of putting them into words.  I must say that it is amazing how much the battle impacted Gettysburg and permanently imprinted a presence in that town.