Here's a shot of a portion of one of the more famous Civil War sites: Devil's Den, the site of fierce fighting during the Battle of Gettysburg. Confederate soldiers used this area to shoot at Union soldiers on Little Round Top, which can be seen in the background. Below is a photograph of the same scene taken by Alexander Gardner after the battle (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-cwpb-04337). The dead Confederate soldier and the gun were moved to this site to give the shot more drama.
Wandering Civil War battlefields the past two decades, I've met all kinds of people.
A couple from Germany.
Historians.
Famous authors.
Re-enactors.
But tonight in Gettysburg, a lifetime goal was achieved.
I finally met a paranormalist.
Stewart Cornelius, a genial sort, is lead investigator for the Mason Dixon Paranormal Society. His group takes "high-tech equipment" to capture evidence of paranormal activity. Hear strange noises in your closet, a low moaning in the basement or see a shadowy figure dancing outside your bathroom at 3 in the morning? It may not be your strange Uncle Harold. Stewart and his ghostbusters may be just what you need.
According to MDPS Web site, paranormal investigations are free. "Remember, though we like to have fun, we understand the fear and the seriousness of your situation," the MDPS Web site states. "We are after all, normal people."
Stewart eagerly handed me a flyer touting a paranormal investigation his group is holding in Gettysburg in June. The two-night "investigation package" includes lodging at an historic and "haunted" Gettysburg house and a gourmet breakfast in the morning. Ghost hunting and a gourmet breakfast? Now there's a vacation combo I never considered.
Before we bade goodbye, Stewart played a recording of an EVP (below) -- that's Electronic Voice Phenomena -- his group recorded of a Civil War soldier in Gettysburg. "Help me," the "soldier" pleads in a low voice.
Real or nutty? Judge for yourself.
As for the ghost hunting and gourmet breakfast package, I'm telling Mrs. Banks that DisneyWorld can wait. I'm going ghost hunting!
Lt. Col. Henry Merwin commanded the 27th Connecticut at Gettysburg, the smallest union regiment in the battle. His troops got into quite a fix, battling a Confederate assault at The Wheatfield. This was a confusing back and forth across a large, rolling field of wheat near Little Round Top. Merwin fell mortally wounded, one of thousands of Union casualties on July 2, 1863, the second day of the three-day battle. As I was riding my bike across the battlefield today, I came across this small marker (top) for Merwin, which actually calls out a much larger regimental monument (above left) for the 27th Connecticut about 60 yards distant that marks where he was cut down. Merwin was captured at the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863, and paroled 20 days later. Perhaps he would have survived the war if he had not been released. Merwin was from New Haven, Conn., where you can find his grave at Grove Street Cemetery. He was 24 when he was killed.
Many of the monuments at Gettysburg are beautiful, some almost qualifying as works of art. Here's a few closeup shots I took today. Tomorrow at 6 a.m., I'll ride the battlefield on my bike for the first time.
Here's a shot of a portion of one of the more famous Civil War sites: Devil's Den, the site of fierce fighting during the Battle of Gettysburg. Confederate soldiers used this area to shoot at Union soldiers on Little Round Top, which can be seen in the background. Below is a photograph of the same scene taken by Alexander Gardner after the battle (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-cwpb-04337). The dead Confederate soldier and the gun were moved to this site to give the shot more drama. 
