Ghosts of Gettysburg

For over 100 years, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has been flooded by reports of paranormal activity. From phantom cries of wounded soldiers to life-like apparitions, many visitors to Gettysburg have been touched by its haunting past.

Gettysburg was the site where Confederate and Union armies clashed on July 1, 1863. The battle was a three-day bloodbath that would change American history forever. When the cannon smoke cleared, the Union soldiers had won, but nearly 5,000 horses and 50,000 men lay dead or dying. Many of the Confederate soldiers never received a proper burial. Now, more the 14 decades later, these unsettled spirits may still linger in Gettysburg.

This historic town is home to a surprising number of phantom forms captured in photography, including the ghost of what appears to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee.


The Daniel Lady Farm
The Daniel Lady Farm was used as the Confederate army's field hospital. Soldiers who suffered from artillery wounds -- a lot of chest wounds and lost limbs -- were brought to the farm to recover or to suffer through the final moments of their lives. The farmhouse and barn saw their share of ghastly horror. The ghosts of General Isaac Ewell and his corps of 10,000 still reportedly haunt the farm.


Cashtown Inn
Just eight miles west of the tiny town, Cashtown Inn was the site where the first soldier was killed during the Gettysburg campaign of the Civil War. The current owners believe they have proof of their ghostly visitors. Jack Paladino and his wife have pictures from 1987 through 2007 of strange orbs and skeletons showing up in their photos. According to Mr. Paladino, he and his guests have heard their share of thumping doors. They've also witnessed lights turning on and off on their own and doors locking and unlocking themselves.


Gettysburg Hotel
The history of the Gettysburg Hotel is filled with tales of eerie hauntings. A ghost of a woman has been seen dancing in the hotel's ballroom. Paranormal investigators believe the spirit of Union soldier James Culbertson of Company K, Pennsylvania Reserves, still roams around the hotel.


Baladerry Inn
While the Baladerry Inn offers spectacular views of the countryside, it sometimes gives visitors a terrifying glimpse of life after death. Located on Hospital Road, the inn served as a Union Field Hospital during day two of the battle in Gettysburg. Suzanne Lonky, the owner, has collected dozens of stories and photos of her guests' ghostly encounters. According to a psychic, the inn appears to be haunted by Confederate soldiers buried underneath a nearby tennis court.


The Ghost Train
Tourists can also take a 90-minute ride on the Ghost Train -- the only ghost tour in Gettysburg that takes visitors across the actual battlefield. One of the tour's storytellers says he and passengers have smelled cigar smoke and seen the souls of soldiers roaming on the train or near the tracks while traveling across the historic battlefield.