Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-05-21
Near Il Battlefield.

One of the best known men in Tuck
er county, w. Va, is Lewis Kittle, who
resides on the Indian Fork of Glover
Run. His reputation among his neigh
bors and acquaintance is above re-
proach, and the following story, for.
which he vouches may be relied upon
as containing facts as he understands
them. Mr.. Kittle is not a superstitious
man, nor is he believer in Spiritual
ism. In 1867 Mr.. Kittle, in company
with others, was engaged in mining
near the ground on which was fought
the battle Of Rich Mountain. He and
cousin named Daniel COPYRIGHT board
ed at q large house adjacent to the bat
tlefield, and which was used as hos
pital for the wounded of both armies.
During the progress of the fight Ole
J. man was shot in one of the rooms, the
very room occupied by Kittle and his
cousin in 1867. Beginning with their
first night in this room, Kittle and his
cousin heard strange noises. At first
they gave no heed, supposing they
were caused by wind. One day they
were told by a,fellow miner that the
house was haunted, and that ghostly
forms frequented the room in which
they slept Undismayed, Kittle and
his cousin continued to remain there.
On Saturday night soon after this
COPYRIGHT was absent and Kittle occu-
pied the room alone. During the night
he was awakened by a strange chilli
ness. A cool grayish mist made the
furniture in the room dimly visible
There was an oppressive silence, save
for low uncertain sound that seemed
the echo of slight breeze. Obeying
some impulse Kittle rose from his bed
and moved to a spot opposite and near
the door. He felt no fear, but was i'm
pressed with q sense of solemnity AL
most Immediately he saw in the air
eight forms clad in the Confederate
uniform. With uncovered heads they
approached the bed on which Kittle
had been sleeping. One Of the number
removed the bed covering, throwing it
over the foot of the bed to the floor.
Four Of the men stopped above the bed
as if lifting a weight. The object,
wholly invisible to Kittle, was laid APP
parently upon nothing between the re-
manning four men, who stood in the po-
sition occupied by pall-bearers. Two
of the men who had lifted the object
from the bed took their places in front
of the four pall-bearers, and two behind
them, and in this ORDER the party APP
preached the door. AS theypassed out
Kittlo says he saw lying between the
pall-bearers the body of handsome
young man, with his coat and vest re-
moved. No sound attended their de-
parture until they reached the hallway,
when a noise resembling that made by
one walking with a crutch on wood
en- floor, followed by the sound of a
closing door, was heard.
Kittle returned to his bed, but in
about half an hour the ghostIy party
returned, performing the same actions
as before, except that the body was
taken from the floor in one corner of
the room. Mr.. Kittle says he cannot
possibly be mistaken as to what he re-
lates. He was not dreaming, and was
wide awake. lie was in perfect health.
Ike affair was spoken of at the time to
other gentlemen in the house, all of
whom agreed that similar experiences
had been related by several people who
had occupied the room.
On another occasion, and when Mr..
COPYRIGHT was present, the covering
was removed from the bed several times
in quick succession. Both men arose
and sat on the side Of the bed, but were
forcibly, though gently, pushed aside
and against the wall. They saw no
forms near them while being pushed
from the bed, but few moments later
saw enacted the same scene described
above. Moving the bed made no change
in the conduct of the visitors. The
visits were SO frequent that Kittle and
his cousin, on becoming aware of the
coming of the soldiers, would say,
There are the rebels.