The Battle of Chickamauga, in September 1863, was one of the biggest victories for the Confederacy. The battle lasted for two days, which resulted in 35,000 deaths! Even today, bodies of Civil War soldiers are still being uncovered in that area, which is now a National Park that extends into Georgia. Most of the Union soldiers were buried where they fell, and some were placed in mass graves.
The night after the battle finally concluded, the wives of many soldiers went out onto the field with lanterns to look for their loved ones. Unfortunately, most of the soldiers were dead, and some say that the screams of their wives can still be heard to this day! Some even claim that ghost lanterns can still be seen burning at night.
One ghostly apparition that many people claim to have witnessed over the years is that of a lady dressed in white. She roams the battlefield; apparently, in search of a man she loved who fought in the war. If he was killed at Chickamauga, she evidently never found him. Sometimes people feel “watched” whenever they’re in the woods near that area.
Perhaps the strangest ghost story is that of “old green eyes”. According some folklore, he’s the spirit of a Confederate soldier whose head was blown off. His head was buried and his body never was found, so it’s believed he’s drifting around in search of his body. He has bright, green glowing eyes and makes rather frightening sounds.
Some believe, however, that “old green eyes” was seen even before the Civil War. Before the war, there were tales of a humanoid beast with glowing green eyes, waist length yellow hair, an ugly face, and fangs. Whatever this scary creature is, he is allegedly the cause of two car accidents in the 1970’s, when he appeared alongside a road! Other people have reportedly seen a strange green eyed panther over the years, as well.
The “green eyed” phantom of Chickamauga has been reported by both visitors and park rangers over the years. He’s believed to spend most of his time sulking around Snodgrass Hill, which was part of the battlefield during the Civil War. Strangely, there are some who believe that he’s a demon, ghost, AND panther! Where he came from and what he’s searching for, nobody will ever know. He’s just one of many strange mysteries found at Chickamauga.
