The Bell Witch

I want to take this opportunity to say Happy Halloween to all my readers. This blog post will focus on one of Tennessee's most famous ghost stories.

In the early 1800s John Bell Sr, had settled down with his family in Adams, Tennessee as a farmer. The story begins when the family began to hear noises in the walls. They thought this was very unusual. The family then began to hear objects being thrown around the farm with no explanation. Members of the family were being slapped by air, and farm animals were being spooked for no good reason. The Bell family could not figure out why all of this stuff was happening to them. Young Betsy Bell (pictured above) was the target of most of the Bell Witch's tricks. These tricks got worse when she became engaged to Joshua Gardner. Other tricks that the Bell Witch pulled off included a half-dog, half-rabbit creature that was seen on the Bell's front porch. The Bell Witch also poisoned members of the Bell family numerous times. Legend has it that Andrew Jackson had heard of the Bell Witch and was very curious about it. He was so scared however that he refused to go to Adams. The Bell Witch's identity is still being debated today. The most accepted theory that historians have is that the Bell Witch was really Kate Batts. Batts had most likely been cheated by John Bell Sr somewhere down the line, and she was out for revenge. Some people believe that the Bell Witch was a male slave who Bell had killed. The fact is we will never know.

The story of the Bell Witch has been passed down from generation to generation. I first heard of the story from my Papa. He, most likely trying to scare me, said that the Bell Witch lived in a cave on his farm in Granville, Tennessee. Lets just say that I believed him until I got so scared that my mom and grandma told me he was just messing with me. The fact is that these "ghost stories" are fun to tell, but we have to keep them in their proper perspective. Whether you choose to believe in the story of the Bell Witch is up to you. I personally think it is just a fun story to tell, there is really no truth in it.

Above is a picture of the Bell Home in Adams, Tennessee.

The Bell Witch farm and cave is a major tourist attraction. People come from all around hoping to spot the Bell Witch.

Above is a picture of the Bell Witch historical marker.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about tales from Tennessee and beyond.

Battle of Wildcat Creek

The Battle of Wildcat Creek was a minor skirmish that occurred in Sparta, Tennessee. Not much is known about the battle however. Many historians believe that the battle happened on the farm of Confederate General George Dibrell (pictured above). Where the battle actually happened is unknown. This battle started the friendship between George Dibrell and Champ Ferguson. Ferguson and his men helped to reinforce the Confederate forces. In the end the Confederates, led by Dibrell and Ferguson were able to defeat the Union forces led by Colonel Robert Minty. The victory was much celebrated in Sparta. The morning after the battle ended, the womenfolk of Sparta cooked the victorious Confederate forces a big breakfast. This battle helped to keep the Union forces out of the Upper Cumberland area, but had no effect on the outcome of the Civil War. This battle is vital to our understanding of the Civil War in the Upper Cumberland area.

Champ Ferguson and his men were vital in helping George Dibrell win the Battle of Wildcat Creek.

Above is a picture of Colonel Robert Minty.

For more information about the Battle of Wildcat Creek, I recommend the book Confederate Outlaw by Brian McKnight. This book gives a very detailed account of the skirmish.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about tales from Tennessee and beyond.

Andersonville Prison Camp

The Andersonville Prison Camp was one of the most deadly prison camps in the Civil War. Prisoners of war were treated like dirt. This camp reminds me of the Holocaust Concentration Camps. The leader of Andersonville was Henry Wirz. He was just a brutal man, who treated these prisoners of war like dogs. The camp, as you can see in the above picture, was very large. It covered around 16 acres, and was surrounded by walls. To keep the prisoners from escaping, the death line was created. The death line was located behind the stockade. If a prisoner attempted to escape, then they were shot by the sentries who were stationed in the pigeon roosts. Andersonville was not over run with food. The prisoners, as well as the staff never really had enough to eat. Wirz on the other hand had plenty. He was so diabolical that he had food snuck in for his own personal enjoyment. Around 45,000 prisoners lived at Andersonville. At the end of the Civil War, 13,000 of them had died from various causes. Wirz was put on trial and convicted of conspiracy and murder. He was hanged, making him only the second man, behind Champ Ferguson to be executed at the end of the Civil War. Andersonville was defiantly one of the more brutal parts of the Civil War.

Above is a picture of Henry Wirz.

Many Union POWs were in rough shape when the war was over and they were released. Above is a picture of one of the survivors.

Above is a picture of the monuments at Andersonville.

Above is a picture of the Andersonville cemetery.

Here is a link to the Andersonville Prison Camp article on the Civil War Trust website: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/warfare-and-logistics/warfare/andersonville.html

Stay tuned for more blog posts about tales from Tennessee and beyond.