George Washington's ghost at Gettysburg

I think this is very relevant today - the 150th anniversary of the battle at Round Top

"Did you know that George Washington is credited by some as helping the Union Army in one of its most decisive engagements at Gettysburg? Wait a minute... George Washington? He was a general during the Revolutionary War and died in 1799, well before the Civil War. Yet Washington – or rather his ghost – is said to have appeared to the 20th Maine Division as they approached Gettysburg.

En route to the battlefield, these soldiers reached a fork in the road and were unsure as to which direction to take. Suddenly, an imposing figure wearing a tri-cornered hat appeared on horseback to lead them. At first they thought he was a Union general, but noticed that both the man and his horse seemed to emit an eerie glow. Furthermore, some recognized the man as strongly resembling George Washington, whom they knew from his famous portraits. Hundreds of the soldiers verified that they had seen this phantom.

The ghost led the division of soldiers to a strategic position at Little Round Top, where they were able to repel a flank of Confederates.

So well-known became this report of Washington’s ghost that Secretary of War Stanton later conducted a formal investigation of the matter. In his testimony, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, who was in charge of the troops in question, said, “We know not what mystic power may be possessed by those who are now bivouacking with the dead. I only know the effect, but I dare not explain or deny the cause. Who shall say that Washington was not among the number of those who aided the country that he founded..."
paranormal.about.com...

Further - on page four- five of Michael Shea's account (link below) the phantom again reappeared at the crucial moment of the Battle for Little Round Top and lead the Union soldiers charge - drawing confederate fire at the phantom.

www.godtheoriginalintent.com...

reply to post by JoeP2247


But wouldn't George Washington go against Lincoln because there are lots of Controversies regarding Lincoln like violating constituional rights such suspending habeas corpus

And that reminds if George Washington Ghost appear right now I'm pretty sure he'll weep at the sight of our loss of freedoms and the Rise of the Police State and the fact that they are branded as terrorists.

reply to post by JoeP2247


Cool story. I never heard that before. We sure could use George Washington's ghost in America today!

reply to post by JoeP2247


Never heard that before. I'll have to look into it since I happen to live in Gettysburg. I thought I was somewhat familiar with the history, both in the books and in the folklore.

reply to post by wtbengineer


I am from State College - actually I have heard these stories for many years - just thought I'd share them today because of the anniversary.

PS Gettysburg is a really neat place to visit - been there many times.

reply to post by JoeP2247


Thanks for sharing that. I think Gettysburg is a nice place to live too, just not this week!

reply to post by wtbengineer


When are they doing the battle re enactments? Is it a lot busier there this July than last year this time?
Thanks,
Joe

This is clearly a legend very similar to the Angel of Mons in The First World War.

reply to post by JoeP2247


It is crazy around here! I've never seen traffic like this here before. Tourists often don't realize that there are a lot of people living and working here and they will sit in the road in the worst places oblivious to traffic and just look at the sights. I try to be patient and understanding, but I am in a hurry to get back and forth much of the time.

reply to post by Kram09


It kinda is like that.

It is just that this phantom was specifically identified as George Washington, was reported by hundreds of soldiers (on both sides), and it was serious enough to cause a war department investigation in the middle of the war.

That and the fact that this phantom appeared in the middle of a crucial engagement that probably decided the Civil War, IMHO.

I really believe that if the Union did not prevail at Little Round top it would have lost the war.

Joe

and thanks for your link.

Originally posted by wtbengineer
It is crazy around here! I've never seen traffic like this here before. Tourists often don't realize that there are a lot of people living and working here and they will sit in the road in the worst places oblivious to traffic and just look at the sights. I try to be patient and understanding, but I am in a hurry to get back and forth much of the time.

Where are the police, the HP? Isn't this dangerous for everyone?

Sux to have your hometown screwed up by people who should know better.

Darryl Forests

reply to post by wtbengineer


Try living in Washington DC where this happens all year round. And with not only out-of-towners but with foreigners who still think they are driving from wherever they come from.

But I digress.

Wouldn't Washington actually be for State's rights, slavery (since he owned many), and the constitution?

reply to post by HandyDandy


Yeah, I know that is true. I grew up and lived most of my life close to DC. I also worked in Alexandria at the PTO for 9 months, so I am familiar with it. Thanks for putting this in perspective...

I'm not sure how Washington would have stood on the issue you raise. I'd have to go back to the history books and study him a little more. He did own slaves though, you're right about that.

reply to post by Forests


Its just about over though, thank God.

if this is true, i don't think he helped the union because he favored any side over the other but because he abhorred political parties and the division of the country was mostly created by political and ideological divisions. the political parties were the cause of the war, because they put their ideologies ahead of the welfare of the nation and set the course for self destruction with their actions.

i bet he helped so the war would end more quickly and the nation could set the path for stability as soon as possible, because if the confederacy won the battle, then the war could have dragged on many more years leading to foreign intervention(British siding with the confederacy) or a stalemate.

the south would've hit a wall due to attrition and would require help to win, they would have been at the weaker side of the negotiations table with the British by that time and would be forced to agree to any of their demands.

in the end the British would have been in a position where a weakened and divided United States would've been easy to conquer and subjugate under their superior military and economic power, they would've used our conflict to regain control of our nation and end our independence, and i highly doubt the British would've been as amicable towards us as it was to Canada at that time.

anyways here is a quote of his that relates to my opinion of his possible ghostly assistance:
"The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."