Ghost Hunting

Ghost Hunters Scout Va. Battlefields for Signs of Soldiers Gone By

Members of the American Battlefield Ghost Hunters Society (ABGHS) were online Monday, March 13, at 1:30 p.m. ET to field questions and comments about ghost hunting and the society.

Participants in the discussion were Patrick Burke, president of ABGHS and team leader of the Wolf Pack, the elite investigative team for ABGHS; Mike Hartness, lead investigator for the Wolf Pack; John Burke, sensitive for the Wolf Pack; Darryl "Smitty" Smith, science officer for the Wolf Pack; Laine Crosby, medium for the Wolf Pack; Mark Nesbitt, Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) expert.

From The Post: A Stakeout for Civil War Spirits (Post, March 13)

About the Wolf Pack:

The main role of the Wolf Pack is to educate and to prove life after death, Patrick Burke said. Each member has logged at least 500 hours of research and investigative time, according to Burke, who has logged more than 1200 hours himself.

Related Link: ABGHS Boot Camp

The transcript follows.

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Mark Nesbitt: I am the author of the "Ghosts of Gettysburg" book series as well as "A Ghost Hunter's Field Guide: Gettysburg and Beyond." My company runs the "Ghosts of Gettysburg Candlelight Walking Tours"
(www.ghostsofgettysburg.com) and we're starting the "Ghosts of Fredericksburg Tours")www.ghostsoffredericksburg.com) this spring. I am the "EVP expert" with the ABGHS. I've had a good deal of success capturing what appear to be the voices of entities stuck on the battlefields. Soldiers? Perhaps.

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Rockville, Md.: I attended Mary Washington College and lived both on campus and behind the school on Kenmore Ave. Can you tell me about any experiences you have had in that area? Sunken Road in particular? It always seemed a little eerie around there. Not scary necessarily, but it definitely felt like something happened around there.

Mark Nesbitt: That's an interesting question because my company (Ghosts of Gettysburg Tours) is starting ghost tours in Fredericksburg this coming spring and I have collected a number of stories about Fredericksburg. I know the Ennis House on the Sunken Road has had some activity in and around it, but the town itself has scores of ghost tales about it from the 18th century up until just last year. AS well, the battlefields--all four of them--are active with paranormal activity. I've gotten evp (electronic voice phenomena) at the Wilderness, Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania.

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Patrick Burke: Hi Folks! My name is Patrick Burke and I am the Team Leader for the Wolf Pack. The Team Leader's assignment is to select the investigative site and do the preliminary research. Once all research is finished I sit down with the team and we select the best approach to achieve the investigation goals. I also make sure that the Intuitive Science Method of investigation is followed through out the investigation.

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John Burke: Hi I am John Burke, better known as Lasarus. I handle Logistics and equipment for ABGHS. I am also Hunter for the Wolf Pack, which means I sense and feel entities/energies.

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Dulles, Va.: Mark -- I wrote you a letter several years ago about an experience with the bronze soldier of the 53rd PA memorial at Gettysburg, but never received a reply. Did you get my letter? My wife saw the soldier acknowledge my presence with a brief nod as I was paying my respects at the monument. Two of my great-grandfather's older brothers served in the 53rd PA.

Mark Nesbitt: I apologize for not answering your letter. I vaguely remember it, but I get hundreds of letters a year and can't possibly answer them all. I'll be reviewing my stories one of these days to glean statistics for a future study. Anyway, thanks for sharing your story. I appreciate and save every letter I get!

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Laine Crosby: I'm the Investigative Medium for the group. I am asked not only by The American Battlefield Ghost Hunters Society, but also by other historians and archaeologists in the state to help them. I am a "sensitive", meaning that I "feel" or "just know" information. I am also clairaudient which means that I can talk to spirits. I have the ability to see a battlefield before I ever arrive, along with it's paths, wells, rocks, and cannons. When I am there, I have the ability to describe troop movements, surprise attacks and what may have happened on the land historically.

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Alexandria, Va.: When is the best time to encounter ghosts on the battlefield? Is it better to be there on the anniversary of the battle, or are encounters based simply on chance?

Mark Nesbitt: It seems as if there is more activity at Gettysburg during the Anniversary, July 1, 2, 3, but that is also the 4th of July weekend, one of the busiest at Gettysburg. It begs the question, Is there more ghostly activity, or just more witnesses to observe it? I wonder sometime if there is paranormal activity going on all the time and there must be certain atmospheric, environmental or personal conditions to perceive it. One researcher I know ingests large amounts of potassium before a "session" to help her get more electrical activity in her brain and body. There seems to be more activity before and after thunderstorms. Does solar activity influence a ghosts ability to be active? is another question we have. Careful keeping of all data during investigations will one day contribute to answering a lot of the questions we have.

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Warren, Mich.: This question is for Darryl. Over the past five years as part of the group, have you seen or heard anything you have not been able to explain scientifically?

Darryl Smith: Yes, we've got a lot of audio and video I would classify as 'unexplained'; a lot more than just single frame digital photos of 'ghost orbs'. The toughest nut we've come across so far, one I've not been able to 'explain away' is a video, shot in near infra-red, of a digital voice recorder sliding across a table in a conference room. It didn't slide far; about six inches. But clearly no one was near it, and it clearly did move.

Sherlock Holmes may have been a fictional character, but he had a good grasp of basic science; "When you eliminate the impossible, what ever remains, no matter how improbable, is the answer."

I'm still stubbornly calling this 'unexplained', until we can return the site and run some tests.

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Washington, D.C.: Do you ever investigate hauntings other than on the battlefield? Like old homes that are reportedly haunted? If not is there a possibility that you will branch out into that area - or you strictly just interested in historic battles.

Darryl Smith: We do 'active' houses. But mostly battlefields.

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Falls Church, Va.: Is there any evidence for the successful photography of ghostly "auras," or a "force field" emanating from or hovering over a battlefield (or a cemetery near a battlefield)? I would think it would be best to take these types of photos soon after the battle took place. And a long exposure would be advisable.

Thank you.

Darryl Smith: See question above.

Darryl Smith: We invariably capture audio and or video that I would classify as 'unexplained'.

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Austin, Tex.: Do you have any verifiable proof of ghosts from these Civil War Battlegrounds?

Darryl Smith: One needs to define 'verifiable'. We have a plethora of audio and video that can be classified as 'unexplained'.

Patrick Burke: We have captured on a NIR camcorder what has been identified by several experts on civil war uniforms as a Georgian Infantryman (Confederate) crossing the stone wall at Gettysburg Battlefield, in the Triangular Field. We have also captured a wolf materializing out of a paranormal myst. We have a number of what we call Shadow Wlakers and quite a few ribbons, vortexes and orbs in motion. There is a huge advantage to capture using a NIR camcorder. Evaluation is much easier when viewing in motion.

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Alexandria, Va.: My mom grew up in Fredericksburg, and I thought she might enjoy your tour there. Unfortunately, she can't walk for very long -- does the tour involve lots of walking? Are there breaks?

Laine Crosby: She may enjoy our Boot Camp conference on April 21 - 23 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fredericksburg, Va. You can find out more at www.ghostbootcamp.com

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Washington, D.C.: Have you ever encountered a spirit that you felt meant to do you harm (or at least scare you out of a place?)

Laine Crosby: I have encountered all different personalities. Just as there can be nasty people in life, there are those in death. On a battlefield, I have never felt very threatened as I have before in a house. Don't get me wrong though- I have felt scared. Especially on Triangular Field in Gettysburg where I'm surprised that everyone can't hear the rebel yell coming up the hill at dusk, and snipers are in the woods.

If a spirit feels "evil" I walk away, but I can't remember the last time I felt something was evil and "non- human" (or never human). Typically it's just people that were not nice in life and their personality has not changed.

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Fairfax, Va.: When I lived near George Mason University in Fairfax, I occasionally heard "battle sounds" in my sleep, loud enough to wake me up, thinking a firefight was occurring in my backyard. I'd also often feel the energy of a presence, or presences, that I couldn't see. However, I have never heard of this area being designated as a Civil War battlefield. Could there have been undocumented battle activity in that area?

Mark Nesbitt: It's possible that there were some skirmishes there. Fairfax is a part of "Mosby's Confederacy." He led a number of raids through the area. I'm not familiar with the exact site you're talking about, but look into some of the books written on John S. Mosby and you may be able to find something about where the University now stands.

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Lusby, Md.: Good afternoon hunters, I have a question for you, do you go to peoples houses to ghost hunt or are you mainly concerned with Civil War ghost hunting?

Darryl Smith: We 'do' houses, but almost exclusively older historic homes.

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Alton, Ill.: Do you ever do any traveling to other places in the United States. Alton, Illinois is known to have ghost sightings. The McPike house has also reported to have ghosts in this victorian style home. Not to mention cemeteries here that also include Civil War graves from both sides.

Darryl Smith: We do travel as a group, but not very far; at least not yet. The farthest a field we've been to is Shiloh, in Tennessee

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Bethesda, Md.: The work that is done on Ghost Hunters show -- is that similar to the approach you take in that you go to disprove a story?

Darryl Smith: You can't prove a negative. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. You get data that supports a particular theory, or you don't.

Patrick Burke: No. Our goal is to capture history in motion, through the eyes of the participants. That said, we try to keep as scientific approach as possible, but also allow the ghost hunters psychic intuition to play an active roll in the investigation. As a sensitive myself, I use my intuition to guide me to the hot-spots of activity and then try and interact with the ghosts to obtain verifiable data. We do put the evidence obtained through a rigorous review cycle in which we try and explain the anomaly in every way possible as natural or man-made. If we exhaust all of these venues and it is still unexplained then we call that proof-positive.

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St. Louis, Miss.: Can a spirit or ghost do you bodily harm? What can a ghost do to you other than scary you?

Darryl Smith: IMHO no. Aside from a loud 'BOO'; and even that would require a level of 'sensitivity' I clear lack.

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Alexandria, Va.: In your opinion, what is the busiest area for paranormal activity in this region?

Mark Nesbitt: I used to think Gettysburg was about the most active place in the east. Of course, I lived there for 30 years! But since I've been researching for our tour in Fredericksburg, Virginia, I've gathered dozens of stories myself in just the past year. As well, L. B. Taylor wrote a sizeable book of the Ghosts of Fredericksburg and environs, and Mary DuPont Lee wrote a book in the 1930s about the area. Fredericksburg dates back to colonial days and so the potential for Native American spirits, colonial spirits, revolutionary war spirits (George Washington grew up nearby and his mother lived in Fred-burg) Civil War spirits (4 major battlefields-100,000 casualties) is greater than Gettysburg. I'm looking forward to spending time there and "hunting" down the tales!

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Silver Spring, Md.: I had the wonderful opportunity to attend three of the Candlelight Walking Tours in Gettysburg on . . . yep . . . Halloween 2004. A very fine tour guide scared the wits out of us bellowing a Cajun song to the woods where the Louisiana Tigers were slaughtered. My question is: Any evidence or reports of the ghosts reaching out and physically encountering people--being aggressive?

Mark Nesbitt: I've collected well over 700 stories--mostly Gettysburg, but other sites as well--and have encountered only a handful that reference harm coming to someone. One was at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, and I can't really recall any others--meaning that an entity harming a living person is a very rare event.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Generally speaking, do you feel the ghosts you detect are stuck in a loop, just re-enacting the same battle that ended their lives over and over again? Or are they aware they've passed but are rooted to that place because of the traumatic way they died?

Mark Nesbitt: Yes and yes! Some entities appear to repeat their actions ad nauseam. Like the Phantom Regiment at Gettysburg. I have at least four accounts of a regiment marching out of the woods, doing some maneuvers and marching back into the woods and vanishing. The Woman in White at Spangler's Spring always is seen "looking for something" walking, stopping, sometimes bending over to look at the ground. A sudden, traumatic death is one of the several explanations for why spirits "stick" to a place.

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Rockville, Md.: Mark, you said you have picked up EVP -- Are you able to understand anything that you are picking up?

Mark Nesbitt: Most often the evp is a guttural "roar" or hisses that sound like "Yessss," or grunting "no"s. I have picked up some fairly clear evp though. When asking a Confederate staff officer "Who's President?" I got the response "Jefferson Davis." As well, in the Jennie Wade Birth House, I received some very good replies from John Pfoutz, Civil War Era owner (Did you own this house? "Yes Sir, I did!) and from Jennie's mother,(Did you work hard here? "Good Lord, yes!) But most of the evp must be run through a computer and listened to on earphones over and over. It's kind of like listening to someone with a thick accent--you have to get used to them.

Patrick Burke: I have also picked up some clear EVP. Go to www.ghostbootcamp.com, the photo page and you will hear the voice of a ghost soldier give me his name. I will be posting some more EVP that is clear at our other site, www.americanbattlefield.com, in a few weeks. Smitty, our Science Officer has captured some remarkable EVP on his walking lapel recorder. And we do get some very creepy EVP on our Camcorders sometimes.

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Arlington, Va.: I find it hard not to be skeptical of the existence of "ghost soldiers," yet I have often felt an eerie sense of those who came before on Civil War battlefields. But I usually chalk that feeling up to my strong interest in the Civil War and sensitivity to the loss that took place on those fields. While some of you may have truly witnessed something unexplainable, I have to imagine that a percentage of your members report all manner of "sightings" that are just the night playing tricks on them, coupled with their strong desire to see something. How do you sort out what's "real" vs. what's enthusiasm?

Patrick Burke: Great Question. In our training course we make sure that everyone gets a first hand experience with evaluating evidence, what we call false-positives - those unusual anomalies that can be explained as natural or man-made. The other term we use is proof-positive. By keeping a meticulous log-book, having multiple camcorders running to cover the area and of course OJT! It is fairly easy to tell a live person from an apparition, the ghostly form may have the outline of a person, but it is not as solid as a live person. You can certainly tell the difference between an insect or an energy signature, it is a bit tricky when you first start out, but that is why we encourage anyone interested to join a mentor program like ours.

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Reston, Va.: Have you ever detected any phenomena at Manassas (Battle of Bull Run)?

Darryl Smith: Manassas if tough; too many cars and planes to get high quality audio and video.

In August of last year, we caught an unexplained voice saying a name that sounded like "Joyce".

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Centreville, Va.: I think that your search for spirits in the battlefield is very interesting. Even if you don't actually see or hear anything, I believe that there is definitely a presence in the battlefield. I have hiked Manassas quite a few times, and if you stand very still and listen, there is a very heavy feeling of something. It is like a pressure. Maybe I have an active imagination. I do have experience though with those that are gone who have contacted me in various ways. I think I am quite sane regardless!

Darryl Smith: We invariably capture audio and or video that that I would can be classify 'unexplained'.

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Denver, Colo.: Laine- Do you actually hear and see the soldiers in battle? Do they know they are dead? Do you have conversations with them?

Laine Crosby: Sometimes I hear them like I would hear someone shouting in the distance. I see them in my mind's eye. When standing on a summit, sometimes I see troop movements and the battle quickly being played out. Other times I walk through the battle and feel them all around me and know where they are or that I just stepped on someone. I can tell if there are horses or men on foot and the general direction of the battle.

Most of the time they do not know they are dead. I usually shock them when I tell them they have died. Yes, I do have conversations with them. I find the conversations very interesting. We typically ask questions about the battle, but they ask me questions about their families, as if I would know. I hear a lot of soldiers crying out for their mothers, and they like to talk about their home life, what they ate, and their pets. My experiences tend to be very sad ones as I feel their pain and loneliness as they do.

A rebel soldier- not older than 18- spoke to me at Bliss Farm in Gettysburg and I thought I could relate to him as a young woman. He told me I was the age his mother would have been if she had not died in childbirth. After that encounter, I realized that is how most young men perceived me there, and hopefully, I can bring them comfort as a result. This particular soldier was from Mississippi and had a "coon" dog named Spout who would sit on the porch all day. He really missed his dog and would laugh when he told me about him.

I feel like a time traveler. I'm thankful I can meet these brave boys and men and share a culture that truly has gone with the wind.

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Rockville, Md.: Are all the ghosts that you encounter unhappy or upset? In other words, are any of the ghosts you meet happy and content? Also, how old were you all when you became aware of your ability?

Laine Crosby: I have encountered some spirits that are happy, but on the battlefield I find that many times spirits don't know that they have died. Sometimes they know they have died but they don't know how to cross over. Many times they are in a pain and are lying on the ground; however, there are just as many walking around, and some still think they are in the midst of battle.

My goal is to get them to cross over. I noticed I could talk to spirits as a child, however, I ignored my abilities for many years until a few years ago when my family moved to Maryland. My family moved into a haunted house, and the spirits started talking to me all the time. My grandmother had the abilities as well, and now my children.

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Manassas, Va.: I grew up in Manassas, which was the location of two specific civil war battles. Have you ever investigated Manassas' battlefield, or do you plan to?

Darryl Smith: We've been to Manassas, but the over development of the area makes investigating difficult; too many cars and too many planes. .

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Baltimore, Md.: Hey everyone! It's Karen. Can someone explain the Intuitive Science Method?

Patrick Burke: Hey Karen. ISM was developed by me over the years. As a sensitive I felt that there should be a way for the science of an investigation to be merged with the ability of a sensitive that can feel, see or hear the ghost in a haunted location. I approach all of my investigations from a scientific point, but by adding the sensitive in the team structure we have been able to increase our proof-positive data remarkably. My book coming out (pre-sales info at intel@americanbattlefield.com) soon has a complete chapter on the introduction to the Intuitive Science Method. Our conference in Fredericksburg in April this year, www.ghostbootcamp.com, will have the ISM taught at. Unfortunately it is a topic that would take quite sometime to explain, but this gives you at least a brief overview of this method. You can always email me at patrick@americanbattlefield.com and I will be happy to discuss it with in more detail.

Laine Crosby: The method includes using your intuition along with scientific documentation and methodology so that the results cannot be disputed. It's definitely a very interesting scientific method and no one else is doing it to the degree that we are, with the exception of those we train who take classes with us. You can visit www.americanbattlefield.com to see footage of ghosts on battlefields and evp that we have collected. It works!

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Bethesda, Md.: Several years ago my mother went to visit the Gettysburg battlefield with a friend of hers. She remembered taking one picture of her friend standing beside a monument, but when she got her picture developed she was the one in the picture. She is pretty adamant that her friend didn't take it. Do ghosts like to play tricks like this?

Mark Nesbitt: Ghost "pranks" are probably the most common form of paranormal activity: objects being hidden, words whispered into one's ear, footsteps pounding across an upstairs hall. Someone had taken a picture of a friend/psychic in a haunted area; I was on the other side of the room and something with my shirt on was photographed behind her where there was absolutely no space for a person to stand! Ghosts taking the form of someone else is apparently common. They also like to play with cameras as well. Mark

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Washington, D.C.: I am curious about Mike Hartness, he sounds like a very interesting and deep man.... how much does he really believe in this? He seems well versed in the battlefield information from what I have seen and read of him.

Mike Hartness: I've had a fascination with the paranormal since my early teens. We used to go to haunted houses and Harper's Ferry to see if we could find ghost. In my travels I lived in a few houses that had strange things happening.(that was when I lived in the mountains of Colorado) That mixed with my father taking me out to several Civil War Battlefields when I was young, the two seemed to go together. So I brushed up on my history, and became indulged to the more precise details of individual battles at different battlefields.

So I take that information to the battlefield and position our camera's in hope's to see history repeat itself in a paranormal way. thanks for asking

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Dallas, Tex.: You're joking right? Vibrations? What, pray tell, is vibrating? The earth, the air? At what frequency?

What do you use to measure these vibrations?

Darryl Smith: I'm afraid I missed the original question. I wouldn't use the word vibration; it's too ambiguous.

Random 'cold spots' and fluctuations in the electromagnetic field only hint that a site may be 'active'; no quantitative or qualitative data. We tend to rely on audio and video that can be analyzed and passed on to others for further analysis and comment.

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Frederick, Md.: I think people need an open mind on the subject. Too many incidents create a need for research. Yet where do we really stand on actual science here? Are we seeing the past like a residual memory locked in the ground? Are we just seeing what we "create" ourselves, perhaps in a measurable way by our beliefs? Or is the door between past present and future not as solid as we have always believed.

Darryl Smith: The actual science being used by many paranormal researchers won't pass muster as 'real' science. And many people don't know the difference. I suspect that many people would respond to the question, 'What is the scientific method?' They would reply that it's a new type of weight loss diet that's all the rage on the west coast.

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Arlington, Va.: Can you each describe your most memorable ghost hunting experience? Thanks so much.

John Burke: My most memorable experience was at the Fredericksburg Battlefield on Suken Road. A man-size dark shadow passed behind my back. My brother, Patrick, asked who was there but no response came. Later, when we looked at the footage you could clearly see the black shadow. This was when I truly knew I could "feel" the energies.

Laine Crosby: One of the most interesting experiences was with the group a couple weeks ago at Port Tobacco when I was talking with John and we were ignoring a spirit behind me. The spirit slapped me on the shoulder and John saw half of a black hand hit me before I grabbed my arm. We caught it on film, and my arm hurt terribly, but the spirit was just trying to get my attention and meant no harm. It was so memorable because so much happens to me that it is nice to verify it on tape.

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Warrenton, Va.: Good afternoon,

I was wondering if your work is restricted to only battle fields. I live in a small town in an historic property which is just filled with the "bodyless" From day to day, I do not know who is visiting.

My husband and I recently purchased another home in a small town in NC. Again the same thing. Both town and my home have the "bodyless" visiting. They loved the Christmas lights on our tree. Every time we would turn them off, we would find them turned on.

If yo are looking to explore historic towns for the "bodyless" can highly recommend 2 areas.

thanks

John Burke: Our primary focus is on battlefields but we are interested in all historic estates/homes/properties.

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Anonymous: There are no ghosts. No reasonable scientist has ever suggested otherwise. Please prove to me there are ghosts.

Darryl Smith: Define ghost; define reasonable. I believe a 'Hollywood ghost' is a theological impossibility, but that

we leave behind more than just a corpse when we die.

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Frederick, Md.: Good Afternoon,

I have been to many battlefields around the area. Antietam, Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, etc. I was wondering if anyone has picked up anything at the Frederick battlefield? According to the local ghost tour, Frederick is suppose to be the most haunted city in Maryland. Any of that true?

thank you.

Darryl Smith: Our group has visited Fredericksburg several times. We have collected both audio and video that falls into my 'unexplained' category.

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Washington, D.C.: Have their been any ghosts documented at Fort Marcey Park, which is the Union Fort just off the GW Parkway where it is said that Confederate spies were regularly executed during the Civil War, and where Clinton White House Counsel Vince Foster is believed to have taken his own life in 1993?

Mike Hartness: the Washington Post recently did an article on the forts that surrounded Washington that were occupied by the the Union Army during the Civil War. I'm going to do some research on them. I've done a little on Ft. Stevens at 13th st and Georgia Ave. I'll look into Fort Marcey and I'll put my finding's on our wed site "americanbattlefield.com".

thanks for the info

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Dallas, Tex.: You're joking right? Vibrations? What, pray tell, is vibrating? The earth, the air? At what frequency?

What do you use to measure these vibrations?

Laine Crosby: I'm sure you mean the picture of me grimacing while sitting on the ground. This is a good example of not believing everything you read! I also didn't "feel" the cold - it was about 20 degrees! Everything was cold! I wasn't feeling vibrations but trying to concentrate to see if anything popped into my head. That's how I get information, as if it is a thought. Sorry, no shaking ground or goblins; or thermodynamic energy force fields; just taking a moment to think. Thanks for your question!

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Fairfax, Va.: Sometimes we can hear conversations in our house. A man and a woman. Talking what seems to be English, but we can't quite hear what they are saying. No radio/tv/etc. running at the time. Sometimes the kids' toys turn on by themselves.

This freaks out my nanny (she's from South America and more attuned to spirits, I think). I don't usually see anything (I just pick up the smell of cigarette smoke a lot), but my husband has heard the voices.

Any recommendations for us? I don't want our nanny to quit over this.....

Laine Crosby: I've been there. You can write to me at laine@americanbattlefield.com and we can talk more about what has helped me.

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Annandale, Va.: I have visited some battlefields in the area. At first I was very excited to be able to be where history was made, so looking forward to the trip. When I stepped out of the car, and walked onto a battlefield, I was almost overwhelmed by a sense of sadness. It seemed to totally engulf me. I certainly don't want to go back. It was too overwhelming. Do you think I was at that instant recalling what happened there, or actually feeling the trauma of those left behind?

Mark Nesbitt: I hear that same reaction from a lot of people who visit Gettysburg. Some of us are more sensitive than others. You seem to be on the super-sensitive side. Some paranormalists believe that there are residual energies left in the environment where a traumatic event occurred or large numbers died. Human energy (electrical, therefore electromagnetic) is never more intense than when were are under traumatic stress, such as the moment were are about to die. Some theorize that this energy is captured by the surroundings (wood, metal, rock with quartz--all of which, by the way, are used in capacitors to store electrical energy in modern appliances) and, under certain conditions, are released. It's possible, as well, that the energy is always there, but needs a "sensitive" to detect it.

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Herndon, Va.: What is the most convincing evidence of a ghost that you have produced?

Darryl Smith: Video shot in infra-red and captured at Gettysburg National Battlefield, of what can only be described as an 'apparition'. A lone 'live' person was in the video walking across a field, but more than one person is clearly visible.

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Scaggsville, Md.: Gentlemen -- Have you had any success in the Battle of South Mountain Area? Specifically the area around the Wise well just off Route 40? The rumor was that Farmer Wise(?) buried a number of Confederate troops down a dry well. Personally, I'd hate to have 20 or 30 ticked off Rebel ghosts looking for me but there you are. Additionally what areas have felt most promising? Best of Luck going forward.

Patrick Burke: We have South Mountain on the list, but have not been there at this time. You can go to www.americanbattlefield.com for a description of some of the battlefields we have done in depth investigation on. I'm with you on the ticked off Reb's, but so far the ones I've come across have been right neighborly! We have captured the Rebel Yell several times with Mark, he is an EVP magnet!

Gettysburg is always active, but I feel that the best place right now is the 4 battlefields around Fredericksburg, VA. We have excellent EVP of musketry fire and cannon fire as well as men yelling and moaning all along the Sunken Road in Fredericksburg. Our Boot Camp Conference, www.ghostbotcamp.com is in Fredericksburg and we will be presenting the history on the 4 battles around the town. Antietam is also a good spot quite a few locations there and Shiloh was very active as well. thanks for the question.

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Washington, D.C.:: What got you interested ghosts of the Civil War battlefields? Do you ever travel to Revolutionary War sites?

Darryl Smith: For me, I came on board when Patrick showed me his video from 5/01, shot at Gettysburg National Battlefield. I don't believe in ghosts, at least not a 'Hollywood type ghost'. But he captured on video something that I can only classify as an 'apparition'. I was hooked.

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Muscat, Sultanate Of Oman (gulf): Can we see the ghost in dress or nude? In which language can we communicate? For eg, can I speak to a deceased person from Kerala (India) who spoke only regional language, in English? Will the ghosts be moving from one country to another?

John Burke: How you perceive an energy is entirely up to that energy. You may "see, "feel", or "hear" them in any way they choose to communicate. Language, geography and clothing are restraints of the living but not of the dead.

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Wood River, Ill.: Do you ever get names that you can investigate so you can put a history with a spirit? Are you interested in searching for their family or the lives or their families? What happened to their families?

Mike Hartness: John and I have been doing research on the battle of Spotsylvania in May of 1864 .We've found names of soldiers and will ask for them when we,re filming on the battlefield.

haven't gone beyond just the family member that participated in the battle itself

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Darryl Smith: The individual e-mail addresses for ABGHS staff can be found at WWW

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Walkersville, Md.: I attended Gettysburg College. I was aware of all the 'ghosts' that haunted that school, but never saw any. Steinwehr Avenue, on the other hand, always gave me the creeps when driving on that road, day or night. An overwhelming sadness just seems to hang there. Statistically speaking, at least some spirit has to be unhappy about the futile cause.

Mark Nesbitt: Keep in mind that "Seeing" a ghost is only about 10-11% of all the stories I've collected. a good 61-62% are auditory in nature. But all the senses can be involved--touch, smell, or just "feelings" like you get on the Emmitsburg Road, which, as you probably know, runs right through the middle of Pickett's Charge. You may have had an experience at the college and didn't recognize it because you we "looking" for something. Also, the fact that the spirits are upset, may or may not have anything to do with their activity. A sudden, youthful death (causing confusion in the spirit) may have more to do with it being stuck in one place than anything else, but we're still theorizing on that.

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Dunwoody, Ga.: I can sometimes sense something like an energy field or aura. I can't talk to ghosts, at least I don't think I can, but I can sense if they are angry, placid, or happy. That's about it. But that can be enough to tell me whether I need to hightail it outta there! I'd like to hone my skill, if that's possible. Any suggestions?

John Burke: It is good for you to trust in your senses. It is the same principle as trusting your first decision, your first gut instinct. The ISM method is a great guideline for this. Patrick will be presenting it at Boot Camp in April - www.ghostbootcamp.com

You also might want to learn to cleanse your mind of clutter for about 1/2 hour to put yourself in an open state of mind.

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Tysons Corner, Va.: Are there more ghosts from among the Confederate or Union soldiers? Is the number of ghosts typically proportional to the number of violent or unexpected deaths on the battlefield?

Darryl Smith: We've never actually done a census; but I find the question very interesting. I will be adding 'on which side did they fight' to the data books we use.

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Houston, Tex.: I have a question regarding overlapping encounters. Several of these civil war battlefields were also the sites of American Revolutionary engagements as well as clashes between European settlers and Indian nations--do you ever encounter several different battlefield entities at the same time? If so is there any interaction among them?

Darryl Smith: Can't confirm or deny 'interaction', but we collected data at some Civil War sites that could be classifed as Indian.

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Rockville, Md.: Regarding the news story last night about several monuments being vandalized in Gettysburg, including statues of soldiers ... do you have any indication that this upsets the soldiers of the Civil War?

John Burke: The vandals that destroy the monuments are nothing more than criminals. They ruin it for future generations of history buffs and the public in general.

Having been in the area of vandalized monuments, I pick up residual negative energy.

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Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.: Hi Mark,

Congrats on the Fredericksburg venture! I gave tours for you back in 99/00--quite an experience. Has there been any new activity over at the College?

Barb D.

Mark Nesbitt: Hi, Barb! I haven't heard of any new activity at the college, but I haven't asked either! I can't imagine, with all the energy there that there aren't things happening still. Best of luck. Come visit us in Fred-burg.

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Dunwoody, Ga.: My now husband used to live in Rosslyn, Va. Almost every time I would get off the Metro there and walk Southeast, I would get this shivery, cold, and definitely nasty feeling...once or twice I thought I heard a voice say, "Wait for me...wait for me..." But there was nobody there!

Patrick Burke: That is some story! I have heard my name called and the sounds of battle as well as men talking on the battlefield. If you have any questions on being a sensitive email john at john@americanbattlefield.com or laine at laine@americanbattlefield.com.

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Laurel, Md.: My folks used to live at Lake of the Woods. They bought property there when it first opened. During visits I fished non-stop at all hours of the night. Back in the 70's before there were any people down there, I was fishing on there dock in February catching walleyes spawning. About 3 am, full moon and the wind was stirring the leafless trees, I started to feel like I was not alone. It was a steady wind from the south and it was warm. The wind out a constant sound all night, then I heard human like sounds like moaning. No houses nearby, 3 in the morning in February. Obviously not a hopping place. I heard this sound for about five minutes. I packed it all up and went inside with a very weird goose bump type feeling. I used to walk all over the place down there and used to find trenches that were used in the civil war. Always placed on top of rises, you could sit in them and imagine the battle. There were some close by to my folks property in the battlefield that is bordered by RT 20. That is my 2 cents. Keep trying

Mike Hartness: grab your night vision video camera and do some filming . You could get lucky.

good luck

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Harpers Ferry, W.Va.: When you're at a site and you sense that there's some kind of paranormal energy around you what do you feel? Or what do you see? I see things with my "minds eye" so to speak when I'm at a haunted site but I know someone else who will actually physically see things others don't.

John Burke: There are 4 types of sensitives. Some people, feel the energy, some hear, some can communicate and some see. I feel the energies. I can feel heat and cold changes. I have also been pinched and smacked in the back. Once in a while, I see movement out of the corner of my eye.

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Warrenton, N.C.: I live in a house that was built prior to 1850 and am told that there may be a ghost from the Civil War living here. I have experienced some signs, such as power going out, picture frames knocked over. What advice do you have for detecting such ghosts?

John Burke: If you have an experienced ghost hunter in your area you might want to contact them. If not, I would be happy to offer you some guidance via one-to-one e-mail. You can contact me at john@americanbattlefield.com We are sponsoring a conference this Spring that will present a great deal of information about ghost hunting - please see www.ghostbootcamp.com

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Rockville, Md.: If you're looking for other haunted places to study -- I (and many others) have experienced paranormal activity in the area of Mauch Chunk (Jim Thorpe), Pennsylvania and the surrounding coal mining towns. This haunting is due to the ghosts of the Molly Maguires. Specifically, the old railway station in Tamaqua, the Courthouse in Jim Thorpe, and the (now abandonded) house in Wiggans Patch/Boston Run.

Mark Nesbitt: I just finished a book for my other publisher, Stackpole Books, called "Haunted Pennsylvania" co-authored with Patty Wilson. I covered that story, as well as many other haunted sites around the state. Pennsylvania has numerous ghost stories. Google Patty Wilson for many, many more, if you're interested.

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Washington, D.C.: To Laine and the other psychics: Why battlefields? How does a psychic develop an interest in this particular area, instead of, say, finding missing persons a la Allison DuBois?

Laine Crosby: I have helped people in houses as well, and I have worked with archaeologists to help understand what happened to preserve the history of Maryland. ABGHS primarily works with battlefield. I have only been doing this for a couple of years, since before I was in the corporate world working in marketing. My grandmother had helped police find missing people, and I will help out anyone if I am asked. However, my father was a Civil War historian, so I have developed a love of history. Also, my goal is to cross over soldiers from their painful existence as they see it now. Remember, many of these men don't know they are dead, and then they feel like God won't take them since they have done unthinkable acts. It takes time and energy to work with them and help them cross over. Allison DuBois is remarkable and helps save lives and comfort people. I like to think that I - in some small way- have made a mark in this world by helping to save a soul from an existence of pain and suffering.

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Fairfax, Va.: RE: The busiest area for paranormal activity in this region. How does the battlefield at Manassas rate for paranormal activity, especially as compared to Gettysburg and Fredericksburg?

Patrick Burke: We have one piece of proof-positive from Manassas, an EVP obtained by Smitty. A mans voice calling for Joyce. I've only been to Manassas once on an investigation, but seeing as Jackson was a big hero of mine we'll be going back. Compared to Fredericksburg and Gettysburg it is not investigated enough for me to rate, there are stories about the haunting around the battlefield, but until I go another 3-4 times I do not think I could rate it. If your interested in battlefields I would choose Fredericksburg over Gettysburg, there is a lot of activity at all 4 battlefields.

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Okemos, Mich.: Many years ago I lived in "The Oaks" apartment complex which is located on the Chantilly Battlefield. Has your group ever done any work/searches in neighborhoods that were built literally on top of sites where violent fighting occurred? Have residents ever reported strange sightings/noises?

Mark Nesbitt: Haven't personally done any research there or heard any stories. Sorry!

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Franklin, Tenn.: My ancestors fought in the Battle of Franklin and were all natives of the county in which it was fought. Do descendants have any better chance of contacting the spirits of the fallen? There remain some interesting unsettled questions about the events leading up to the battle, especially whether there was actually a Battle of Spring Hill that preceded it (the current pro-development mayor and council of Spring Hill claim there was no battle, and therefore no reason to preserve land). It would be interesting to ask the participants.

Patrick Burke: I think that if you have a relative that was in the battle, and you now where the fought, then you would have a good chance of obtaining some EVP. Email me the info on Spring Hill, I have some friends out that way and t hey may shed some light on it for you. patrick@americanbattlefield.com

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Washington, D.C.: The example of soldiers who do not know they have died is also shown by late Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa in his 1990 film titled "Dreams" where a hiker confronts an entire platoon of soldiers who do not know that they are dead. The hiker convinces them to stop fighting after some effort (they are Japanese), and the segment is one of the better stories in the film. So soldiers who won't die is a type of ghost found across cultures.

Mark Nesbitt: Dr. Charles Emmons, a Sociology Professor at Gettysburg College (and a good friend) wrote a book called "Chinese Ghosts and ESP" wherein he collected some 300 ghost stories while he was in China. We compared notes and came up with about the same statistics are far as the percentages for visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory paranormal experiences. It seems that the only difference in the ghost stories is in the percipient and how they interpret the event because of their culture. The Chinese feel that a ghost is a relative or the percipient rather than a complete stranger. Apparently, the Japanese are more like us, in that complete strangers can appear.

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Boston, Mass.: Have you ever traveled to other countries and visited battlegrounds, mass graves...etc., to look for "ghosts?"

Patrick Burke: We are putting together a trip to Normandy. We do intend to travel to other countries, Mark and I have a TV treatment that we are hoping to get in font of the right people for a TV series. If that happens we will do quite a few WWII sites.

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Silver Spring, Md.: You have given great discussion to the spooks at Gettysburg and Fredericksburg, but what about activity at Antietam? Bloody battle of the war. I love visiting that site, especially Burnside Bridge. Surely there's some spirited spirits there???

Mark Nesbitt: I collected about two dozen stories of some of the ghosts at Antietam. There don't seem to be as many stories about the bloodiest single day in American history, which is more likely because fewer people visit Antietam than Gettysburg or Fredericksburg. It's not that there are fewer ghosts, just fewer witness, the live witness, of course, being the other necessary part to the ghost story!

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Arlington, Va.:: I love going on Ghost Tours and learning about the history of places and people. What is the scariest or most unusual thing that you have encountered during a tour or while investigating a site?

Patrick Burke: I would not call it scary as I feel that every time I have an experience it is an honor. One of the most memorable moments is when I was at Mark Nesbitt's Ghost of Gettysburg Tours HQ. It was our 3rd investigation there and I was checking a stationary camera's film, Mark had followed me up the stairs and as I was looking through the view finder I felt someone tapping me on my left hip. I turned to tell Mark to keep his hands to himself and saw that he was on the landing across from me about four away. Now Mark is one heck of a guy, but his arm reach isn't close to four feet!

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Rockville, Md.: I used to scoff at the idea of ghosts, until an experience in college in central PA changed my mind. It seems like since then, I sense things more and more often, especially the appearance of (deceased) loved ones during a crisis. My mother and grandmother both were known the see and feel activity.

Do you believe that "seeing" ghosts is a genetic trait, or something that you have to accept before it can be seen, or something else entirely?

Darryl Smith: It may a trait one is born with, or a talent that can be developed. I liken it to a musical ear; some people have perfect pitch, others don't, and a musical skill can be improved on through practice..

I, for one, am deaf as a post ('spiritually' speaking).

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Washington, D.C.: I recently visited Fort McHenry. Can you tell us about the ghost v. live human encounter there?

Mark Nesbitt: A good version is published in Ed Okonowcz's book "Baltimore Ghosts: History, Mystery, Legends and Lore," by Myst and Lace Publishers, 2004. I heard the story from the person it happened to and related it to Ed who interview the percipient. Basically, he was being escorted around the Fort by a park ranger (he is a famous artist and was doing a painting). They started going down some stairs and the ranger was stopped to answer a question. The artist said he felt like someone hit him in the head with a 2X4 and was knocked to his knees. The ranger helped him up. The artist was looking for whatever it was that hit him and found nothing on the ground. The ranger admitted that "It probably was our ghost. He can get nasty."

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Washington, D.C.: To the Burkes - what got you interested in doing this - was it just an interest of the unknown or did you experience something paranormal that made you have to investigate further?

Patrick Burke: I grew up in a haunted house since I was two! I used to see and hear things al of the time. When I was twelve my bed was lifted about 4 inches off the floor and slammed down! I have been an avid student of the paranormal since then. I have been studying military history since I was fifteen and that, plus being in the military, lead me to start investigating the battlefields.

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Rockville, Md.: Do any of the team members have relatives that fought in the Civil War? Do you think this contributes to your ability to 'see' or 'locate' ghosts?

Darryl Smith: My family history supposedly includes two great great grandfathers that died during the Civil War; one at Antietam, another at Andersonville.

Patrick Burke: Mike you may want to answer this one.

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Washington, D.C.: HI,

I wanted to send a quick hello to Mark Nesbitt, I used to work for you at Ghost Tours in Gettysburg and am glad to see you still active and look forward to seeing this discussion. I hope you can touch on some of the intricacies involved in attempting to photograph "spirits," "ghosts," etc., some of the differences with film and digital, as well as some of the more famous events in Gettysburg relating to photography.

Matt A.

Mark Nesbitt: Hello, Matt--You're the second one of my retired guides to contact me today! Patrick Burke is the expert on videotaping spirits. He has done some pretty extraordinary work, capturing walking figures (spirits) in the Triangular Field. We're leaning more and more toward video rather than still photos, because so many things can accidentally happen--"orbs" can actually be dust kicked up or a spirit can be someone's breath condensing on a cold night. With video, if you capture an "orb" that actually comes through a wall and approaches the voice recorder while I'm trying to get EVP (as Patrick has), i.e. when it actually shows some sort of awareness, that's pretty provocative. As opposed to just orb on a digital camera. Maybe I'm getting jaded by all the new stuff we're getting now, but I think video, with infrared nightshot is the way to go. Best of luck, Matt.

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Laine Crosby: I am signing out, but thank you so much for talking with us today. If you have any other questions I was not able to answer, please feel free to write to me at laine@americanbattlefield.com.

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 CM. Falls Church, Va.: Once you are starting an investigation, how long would the team stay in location for? How many people are involved in a investigation?

Thanks

John Burke: Our team structure consists of a 5 person team. This includes a sensitive, team leader, science officer, lead investigator and a medium or another sensitive. If possible, you'll want someone with a good digital recorder and who is good with EVP.

We generally let the sensitive guide us to the hot spots and stay until the team is ready to move on - hopefully having gotten some audio/video footage.

You should reference the ISM investigative method above.

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Annapolis, Md.: My grandfather used to take me to battlefields, and I always felt that Antietam was kind of creepy. Do you have any stories or have you investigated Antietam. How do you decide which battlefields to investigate?

Mark Nesbitt: See above

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Columbia, Md.: Hi guys!!! When did you go to Spotsylvania? After our Dec. trip?

Hugs,

Cindy

Patrick Burke: Yes. It was for this article so only the core group and 2 investigative-trainees that had not been there before and will be working the sites like you and Chuck went.

Best

PK

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John Burke: I am signing off now, but please feel free to e-mail me at john@americanbattlefield.com or check out our Web sites www.americanbattlefield.com or www.ghostbootcamp.com

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Washington, D.C.: The article mentioned that your reason for battlefield ghost-hunting it to get more information about the battles that were fought there and was primary academic. Yet, the set-up seemed to be primarily trying to capture evidence of ghosts. Even though this makes sense (you have to prove ghosts' existence in order to believe in any information you collect), I'm still confused. Has anyone collected information this way that has yielded anything useful?

washingtonpost.com: A Stakeout for Civil War Spirits (Post, March 13)

Laine Crosby: Absolutely. Check out our Web site at americanbattlefield.com for video footage and evp.

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