Battlefields Investigated

Using this key, continue through this section, reading the brief historical background and the Haunting Rating (HR) assigned to each site.

Key for Haunting Rating:

EVP	Electronic Voice Phenomena
VEP	Video Electronic Phenomena
P	Permit required
High	Expectations for quality EVP and VEP are very good
Medium	There is activity at the location but it is not immediately evident.
Low	There is very little or no activity at this location.

Gettysburg National Military Park, PA

http://www.nps.gov/gett/home.htm

July 1, 2, 3 1863: For three horrendous days, nearly two hundred thousand Americans fought in the rolling hills of southern Pennsylvania, the largest battle of the American Civil War.
 

General Robert E. Lee brought his army onto northern soil in an attempt to pressure Washington into a peaceful resolution to the conflict. At Gettysburg, a small transportation hub in rural Pennsylvania, General George Meade's Army of the Potomac decided to set up a defensive line to hold the high ground south of the little town. After three days of fighting which cost more than 50,000 lives, General Robert E. Lee retreated back to Virginia unable to sustain an offensive campaign.
 

The battle at Gettysburg, as with any battle, is comprised of many small actions. The Wolf Pack and other members of ABGHS have investigated these locations on numerous occasions. For your convenience we have given a small description of each action and have also given the area investigated a Haunting Rating (HR).

Bliss Farm – Medium on EVP, High on VEP

East Cavalry Field – HR Medium on EVP and VEP

East Cemetery Hill – HR High on EVP and VEP
Union forces held off Confederate advances on the second day of action. Two Confederate Brigades, Hays and Hokes drove the Union defenders from the top of Cemetery Hill and East Cemetery Hill. The Confederates held onto their gains for about forty minutes and than retreated because reinforcements did not arrive.

Cemetery Ridge – HR Medium on EVP and VEP
On the second day of the conflict the Confederates reached parts of the ridge, but could not hold on to their gains. On the third day of the action the famous charge of Pettigrew, Trimble and Pickett covered the area from Bryans Barn and the Bloody Angle to the Copse of Trees.

Culp’s Hill – HR Low on EVP, Medium on VEP
Skirmish engagement on the evening of the first day and fierce fighting took place here throughout the second day, and heavy fighting on the morning of the third day.

Devil’s Den – HR High on EVP and VEP
Some of the hardest fighting took place amongst the scattered boulders of Devil’s Den. The action took place on the second day of fighting.

McPhearson’s Ridge – HR Low on EVP, High on VEP

The Railroad Cut – HR P*, High on EVP, Medium on VEP
The 16th Maine, rearguard for the retreating Union soldiers after the Confederates routed the 1st and 11th Corps (USA) on the 1st days action, but up a fantastic fight that saved the day, and the battle of Gettysburg, for the Federals. The regiment took lost indeed and wounded 87% of the men that went into action.

*The railroad cut is not owned by the National Military Park Service (NMPS). It is owned by the railroad company and requires a special permit.

Slaughter Pen - Low on EVP, Medium on VEP
This is the area at the base of Devil’s Den and Big Round Top. Many Texans fell here trying to assault Little and Big Round Top.

Spanglers Spring – HR Low on EVP, Medium on VEP
This area is at the base of Culp’s Hill and was used by the Confederates as a base camp. The wounded soldiers from both sides made their way to the springs, some to get a drink of cool water and others to die away from the fighting. Most of the action took place at various times through the three days of fighting.

The Triangular Field – HR High on EVP and VEP
The second day of the battle brought Hood’s Texans and Benning’s Georgians through this area. Heavy fighting and hand-to-hand combat happened here. The Confederate tide swept the Union forces back after about an hour of fighting. General Hood was wounded in this region.

Valley of Death – HR Medium on EVP, High on VEP
This is the slightly rolling land between Houke’s Ridge and the two Round Tops. Action took place on the first two days of the battle.

The Wheatfield –HR Medium on EVP, High on VEP
On the second day of fighting General Longstreet’s Corp plowed through the Union General Sickles Third Corp and made The Wheatfield one of the bloodiest actions of the three days of fighting.

Mark Nesbitt’s Ghost of Gettysburg Tour Head Quarters in the town of Gettysburg – HR High on EVP, Medium on VEP
Mark Nesbitt’s Ghost of Gettysburg Tour Head Quarters on the corner of Breckenridge and Baltimore Streets. This building had a clear line of sight to Cemetery Hill. Confederate sharpshooters used it to fire at the Union gunners on Cemetery Hill during the entire engagement.

 

Fredericksburg National Military Park, VA

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fburg.htm

In December of 1862 General Burnside (USA) tried to force the Confederates from their strong positions behind the town of Fredericksburg. This action cost the Union army over ten thousand men, killed or wounded. Most of the Union casualties took place at the Sunken Road at the base of Marye’s Heights where General Lee (CSA) placed a strong defense behind a stone wall.
 

In May of 1863 a second battle took place in Fredericksburg. This was the left-prong attack by General Sedgewick (USA) against General Early (CSA) that was part of General Hookers (USA) plan during the Chancellorsville Campaign.

Sunken Road – HR High on EVP and VEP
Here the Confederate forces under General Longstreets’ command fought off numerous charges from the Union forces. On the first battle of Fredericksburg the Union army retreated in defeat. On the Second battle of Fredericksburg the Union Army took the Sunken Road and Marye’s Heights, but the victory was short lived as General Lee forced the Union army back across the Rappahannock River.

Marye’s Heights – HR Medium on EVP, High on VEP
These heights over looked the town of Fredericksburg and the vast plain between the town and where the Confederates lay entrenched. The Confederate artillery placed on the heights caused great damage to the charging Union troops, catching them in a crossfire. A National Cemetery now resides on Marye’s Heights.

The Meade Pyramid – HR Low on EVP, Low on VEP
This location near Prospect Hill is where General George Meade’s Division (USA) broke through General Jackson’s (CSA) line at the First Battle of Fredericksburg. The breakthrough was a temporary victory for the Union as Meade’s men were unsupported.
 

Chancellorsville National Military Park, VA

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/chist.htm

In May of 1863 Union General Joseph Hooker moved the Army of the Potomac to the Chancellorsville Inn where he planned on forcing General Lee to fall back to protect Richmond, Virginia. This battle is famous for the forced march of General Jackson’s (CSA) Corp around the right flank of the Union army. Jackson’s troops completely surprised the General Hooker and carried the day. That evening General “Stonewall” Jackson was mortally wounded by his own troops.

Hazel Grove – HR Medium on EVP. No filming has been done here at this time
General JEB Stuart (CSA) took over command of Jackson’s Corp when Jackson was wounded. The Confederates charged Hazel Grove and captured it. From here Stuart placed his artillery and had a perfect field of fire on the Union troops and guns around Fairview and Chancellorsville Inn.
 

Spotsylvania National Military Park, VA

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/spotsy.htm

The second battle that pitted General Lee against General Grant. This battle was fought from May 8 - May 21, 1864. There are a number of areas that saw heavy fighting, but the hardest, and longest day of fighting during the Civil War, was the area known as the Bloody Angle. This hallowed ground saw 22 hours of straight fighting and vicious hand-to-hand attacks.

The Bloody Angle/Mule Shoe – HR High on EVP and VEP
The first-hand accounts from the survivors of this battle tell the history of the fighting here better than anyone else ever could. Go to this website and you will be able to read some of these accounts: http://www.nps.gov/frsp/bloody.htm

Laurel Hill – HR No key as this location is set to be investigated
The location where General Sedgewick was killed by a Confederate sniper.

East Bloody Angle – HR High on EVP and VEP
The Union attacks started here and moved towards the Mule Shoe. General Johnson (CSA) was captured along with 2500 of his men.



Shiloh Battlefield, TN

http://www.nps.gov/shil/

Confederate General Johnston caught General Grant by surprise on April 6, 1862. The Confederate forces overran the Union camps and had forced General Grant and his Army of the Tennessee to the land around Pittsburg Landing. General Johnston had been mortally wounded during the action and General Beauregard took over command and planned to finish Grant off in the morning. However, unknown to General Beauregard General Buell’s Union Army of Ohio had come in during the night of the 6th and reinforced General Grant. April 7 found the Confederates gain ground until they came up to the fresh troops of General Buell. The Confederates had to retreat from Shiloh unable to take advantage of the previous days gains.

The Hornest Nest -
Here on the first day of the battle a small but determined Union force stopped the Confederate onslaught and held on for four hours, give Grant the needed time to really his troops and set up a last line of defense.

The Bloody Pond -
Many wounded soldiers drained in the pond trying to get a drink of water. By the end of the first days fighting the water of the pond was blood red.

The Sunken Road -
Numerous assaults by Confederate forces happened in this area as they attempted to dislodge the stubborn Union defenders in the Hornets Nest.

Antietam Battlefield, Sharpsburg MD

http://www.nps.gov/anti

September 17, 1862 General Lee crossed into Maryland hoping to have the populace break the hold President Lincoln had on them and join the Southern cause. The first day’s action would be the most bloodiest day in the Civil War. General Lee won a tactical victory here by defeating an Army three times the amount of men he had. General McClellan claimed victory as he had possession of the field.

The Sunken Road -
Here General Lee asked Colonel Gordon how long he could hold the critical center. Colonel Gordon replied that he would hold it until the sun went down or the Yankees gave up. Colonel Gordon was wounded five times during his stand there and almost held the position until sun down. The Union men of the Irish Brigade, moved unnoticed along the left flank of the Confederate line and fired withering shots into the exposed Confederates.

Dunker Church -
The fighting around this building was extreme and both sides had occupied the land around it throughout the day.

Burnsides Bridge -
400 hundred Confederate Georgians entrenched on the heights over looking the bridge held off General Burnsides Division until about 4pm in the afternoon. By the time General Burnside took the bridge and heights it was to late in the battle as Confederate reinforcements drove him back.
 

Also, take time to visit our collection of phenomena for many of these sites:

Battlefield Photo Gallery  •  Battlefield Audio  •  Battlefield Video