Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-05-07
"BELTEVE IN GHOSTS p"
A "Reminiscences of Virginia During
the War..l True SInrv.


A Rcminiscence of Virginia During
the War--A True Story.
believe in ghosts Well, mol l
can't say do, and yet something saw
in Virginia, one night during the war,
somewhat staggered me, and l have never
exactly known what to think about it.
know, though, that Tom Fairfax would
swear TO there being ghosts, or at least
one ghost to his entire satisfaction on the
subject"
''Tell it to youl Certainly will; and
maybe, as you are so well versed in ghost
ly lore, you can explain what it was that
we saw-not Tom and I alone, but
hundreds of the boys, for we were several
days in the same place. and the whole
picket line saw it repeatedly. See if any
of your German metaphysical works
will explain it. ask, for it puzzles me.
"We were campcd on some old fields
near the edge of dense wood that was
remarkable for the want of underground;
you could see way into the thick, cool
woods, with nothing but the trunks of
the trees to obstruct your vision as far as
your sight could reach
The first night we camped there was
off duty, being i'll; we were on the alert,
for we knew the enemy were not far off.
and were expecting TO see them at any
moment, and our sentries were thrown
out TO avoid surprise. / heard the alarm
during the night from the pickets, and
the Stir in the camp, but was too unwell
to get up and see about ii, as found the
alarm was not general, and the next
morning laughed heartily at the tale of a
ghost having drivin in the pickets, but
when the thing was repeated the ensuing
night, l began to think some one was
playing practical jokes-either the men
or some one who wanted to pass the line
''On the third night l was able to stand
sentry myself, and Tom Fairfax and |
requested the colonel to put us on that
road; he did so, and as Tom left me and
went on ahead to the outer post, he laugh
ingly said:
swell, James, old boy, let's find out
what material the ghost is made of if it
comes to us tonight"
'An right; I'm with you," l replied.
Ifhe's flesh and blood, I'd not like TO be
in his shoes, for / don't intend he shall
make foole of me"
a Joining the field upon which we were
encamped, were the ruins of an old-time
Virginia mansion that had evidently been
built in the first settlement of the State;
the main road running through the wood
led past this house, but it was not on that
road that the spectre had been seen, but
upon a by-road leading to an old mill on
a rapid and deep, and yet very narrow
stream of water.
1t was brilliant, starlight night; the
moon had sunk to rest, after showing her
silver crescent TO the admiring gaze of
those who loved to look upon natures
beauties; and the light being steady and
equal, one could see for good distance.
Fairfax was stationed near enough for me
to hear his challenge, should any one come
that way. In talking the matter over, we
had both arrived at the conclusion that
some one was trying to pass the lines,
and We were determined to catch him, if
possible. As time rolled by and nothing
came, / gradually ceased to think of it;
and my thoughts reverted to home andits
loved ones, doubly dear to me, and the
form of a dear, little, blue-eyed darling,
who was waiting my return with anxious,
prayerful heart, was very palpable to my
minds eye; and so deeply was absorbed
that Toms challenge of "Who goes there2
speak, or I'll fire on you!n fell upon my
ear without drawing my attention to it,
till startled by the report of his gun, and
after a moments dead silence, a yell so
thrilling that it curdled my blood.
Looking down the road l saw running
toward me on foot to whose usual fleet
ness fear had added lightning speed, Tom
Fairfax, the dauntless hero of an hundred
hairbreadth escapes, and closely follow
ing after him glided a singular looking
blue light that seemed in the distance to
be a column of flame about six feet high.
As Tom reached me he exclaimed,
"Great God. James, what is ii 2" and
fell in a dead faint at my feet.
As the thing approached me it took
the semblanCe of a headless man wrapped
in pale, blue flame that flickered in the
night air, just looking like little tongues
of fire licking the shape. Though star
tied nearly out of my senses, l waited till
1t was within five feet of me, and fired
my gun night into its breast. The flame
waved, and opened, spun up a foot or
two, and then settled back into the flick
ering sheet of fire, and the evil thing sped
steadily on past me toward the old man
sion down the road.
l turned to help Tom, and as did so,
some of the guard from the main road
reached us; for. hearing the report of his
gun and his yell, followed by my gun,
they had not waited for orders, but hurried
to our relief, and they saw the thing as it
passed on toward the house. We carried
Tom to camp, scnseless, and nice spell
of brain fever was the result OF his
fright, and it would take more reasoning
power than any one / ever heard OF
possessing to make Tom think there are
not ghosts.
None of the men would stay alone on
that post, and a squad was left there for
the rest of the night. fully determined
to search the Old mansion and make In
quiries about ii but we moved our quar-
tiers in a hurry next day, and never knew
the secret of the headless man, and thai
road, or what scene of crime that old mil
and the ruined mansion have shared be