Kristin tells us how to truly experience ghostly activity in gettysburg or even any other historical sites for that matter. I received this letter just one day before I myself left for gettysburg. I was so deeply touched by her words that I shared her story with many ghost hunters that I met there for a ghost conference March 18 -19, 2000. We all felt her words seep deeply into our souls.
~
Submitted by Kristin: TobyBup@aol.com

I read over the Gettysburg stories written by Becky and was in total agreement with what she felt.  I too, am an avid Gettysburg nut who, like Becky, went there not expecting anything.  Might I add, that when speaking to the owners of Cashtown Inn, they feel that to truly experience ghostly activity, one must go to these historical places for the history and not to hunt ghosts. 

I have several stories from Gettysburg but for now I'll write just one.  This was at the sight of the Confederate Line (more specifically at the sight of the Virginian Monument) on the open field of Pickett's charge.  It was about 6:00pm and my sister and I were killing time before a tour that was to begin at 7:30pm back in town.  We drove down to Confederate Ave and decided to take the walk to the spot where Gen. Lee was said to be at during Longstreet's assault.  We walked about 100 yards from our car when, I distinctly heard what sounded to me like an Indian yelling.  I spun around to see what it was and there was not a soul (ok bad choice of words) not a living soul insight other then my sister and I.  Freaky, I thought.  My sis told me to quit trying to scare her.  We walked a little further and she picked up a drum cadence that sounded as if it was coming from another room.  Only one problem, this is open field here, .....no walls.  I stepped into her "Zone" and I too began to hear the cadence.  Only when comparing with each other... our cadences were absolutely different.  Those of you Civil War buffs will remember that the corps, regiments and battalions marching together, sometimes used different bugle calls and drum cadences for their troops so that each man would know what maneuver "he" was supposed to execute.

At this time both of us were jumping out of our skin with excitement.  We reached our destination at the end of the 200-300 yard or so walk.  Each one of us silent and reverent to the men who courageously laid down their lives (Union and Confederate alike) for what they believed was for the good of their side.  The silence was then interrupted by the deafening sound of cannons.  No reenactment was taking place,  and there was no one on the battle field to our immediate visibility.  No tour buses, no tourists, nothing. 

Upon our decision to return to the car (it was getting near our scheduled tour time back in town), I heard nothing else.  I soon realized that my sister had stopped dead in her tracks a few feet back.  When I turned to look at her, she carried the most peculiar expression on her face.  I asked what was the matter and she said, "You were right, there must have been Indians around here.  I can hear them yelling."  Once again I turn to you Civil War enthusiasts and state...... this was the Confederate line we were standing in..... the yelling we heard was not Indians but rather the old familiar "Rebel Yell". 

For those to whom we have told this story to and said they still don't believe in ghosts let me just say this:  I respect all for which these men died for.  Whether they were from North or from South, they had the belief that what they were fighting for was the right cause.  And the brief moment in time that I spent, along with my sister, on this glorious, hallowed ground, I felt as if these "men" opened a door so that I may truly understand the history of what took place in this small Pennsylvanian town. 

If you, yourself, happen to go to Gettysburg for a history lesson, you may just get what you came for.  I encourage you to listen to these spirits with all your five senses.  It is the spirits of  these men who have been my greatest history teachers. 

Kristin :)
 

BACK TO GHOST MASTER HOME PAGE

Thanks Kristin for sharing with us of us.  :)