Does a Kentucky Civil War soldier
haunt Gettysburg’s Sachs Bridge?
The Civil War ghosts of Halloween perhaps are most prevalent at Gettysburg’s Sachs Bridge.
According to legend, three Confederate soldiers – one each from Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia – were convicted as Union spies and were hanged at the covered crossing in 1863 as the troops of Gen. Robert E. Lee were withdrawing from the battlefield.
Allegedly, when the spies were discovered, a quick trial resulted in death by hanging and the men were hanged from bridge beams and later found by Union soldiers.
Many types of psychic photographs and recordings have been taken at the bridge with strange occurrences allegedly happening around the area. These include uncomfortable feelings of being watched, contact with unseen entities, apparitions and unexplained sounds and smells. An investigation at Sachs Bridge in 2004 by members from the Paranormal Research Society of New England and Central New York Ghost Hunters supposedly witnessed the re-enactment of a battle in the middle of the night by the spirits that participated in it.
The bridge was utilized by troops from both sides during the July battle and provided an easy passage over Marsh Creek. The 100-foot-long bridge originally was built in 1854 and features a truss and lattice support system. It not only survived the battle, but also a flood in 1996 that washed it nearly 100 yards downstream.
With a combination of Gettysburg citizens and local government, the bridge not only was restored but workers were able to save nearly 90 percent of the original truss and lattice design as well as raise the structure three feet to help prevent a re-occurrence during high waters.
The hanging legend makes a great story, but is an incident that never occurred, according to Gettysburg Park Ranger and Historian John Heiser.
“Evidently, the story began many years ago as a Halloween legend and has become more often recited in the past 10-15 years thanks to the growth of interest in ghost stories and legends surrounding the battlefield. We have found no factual data to support it.”
Although Gettysburg has more than its share, ghost stories can be found at most Civil War battlefields and sites, and, whether true or false, they add much color to the telling. And, there are some difficult to explain.
A family visiting the Battle of Richmond Visitor’s Center recently had been at Gettysburg National Military Park before arriving in Kentucky. One of the daughters, aged 12, showed photos she had taken on her digital camera. As she raced through the images, she stopped suddenly and returned to one of the photos.
“That’s really odd,” she said, showing an image of a woman and girl in period attire. Although they appeared to be perfectly framed in a picture that hung on a wall, the visitor said “they shouldn’t be there.”
“That’s a mirror on the wall,” she explained, showing a previous image that revealed only the room on the opposite side.
- Ed Ford
