Blue Lights At Otto's Swale?

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This is from "Civil War Ghosts of Sharpsburg" by Mark Brugh and Julia Brugh

"Otto's Swale is a deep ravine that divided the lines of the Union and Confederate armies when they stopped fighting on September 17. It is remembered by some as a place of vicious and unnecessary violence that marked the end of battle.

The ravine was filled with wounded of both sides laying side by side because first the Union forces drove back the Confederates across the ravine, and in the process, many Confederates fell there. After the furious rush by the Union, the reinforced Confederates pushed the Union back through the same ravine. Bodies were scattered everywhere along the depths of the pit for nearly a third of a mile.

As the fighting ended that day, the viciousness of both sides was apparent. Firing down the slopes, both sides took opportunities to take pot shots at the wounded below them. Rescue attempts to reach and retrieve the wounded were ended when the rescuers were killed or wounded by deadly sniper fire.

As darkness fully brought the fighting of the day to an end, Union and Confederate soldiers lay atop each side of the ravine, heads down and faces in the dirt. They spent a night of horror listening to desperate cries for help and water. There was nothing either side could do to help at that point.

Mysterious blue balls of light sometimes are reported hovering low in the ravine, floating below onlookers on the ridges above. Their meaning and possible origins are unknown to us. Some motorists along the Burnside Bridge Road have also reported the curious blue lights of the Otto Swale swiftly passing them on the road and exiting at the lower entrance to the ravine bottom from Burnside Bridge Road."

Calling @Virginia Dave, @Viper21 @Stone in the wall @Rebforever - Do any of you know anything about this or have heard about it? I didn't know or heard about it the last two times I was there.
 
The 16th Connecticut had laid in the hollow before they advanced into Otto's cornfield. They were part of the left flank when A. P. Hill hit it hard. Wounded were all over the cornfield and I don't know if they could even had made it to the hollow even if they knew it was there. I think there's a tiny little creek near there, maybe light reflecting off bugs? There is some more info on John Banks Civil War Blog
 
This is from "Civil War Ghosts of Sharpsburg" by Mark Brugh and Julia Brugh

"Otto's Swale is a deep ravine that divided the lines of the Union and Confederate armies when they stopped fighting on September 17. It is remembered by some as a place of vicious and unnecessary violence that marked the end of battle.

The ravine was filled with wounded of both sides laying side by side because first the Union forces drove back the Confederates across the ravine, and in the process, many Confederates fell there. After the furious rush by the Union, the reinforced Confederates pushed the Union back through the same ravine. Bodies were scattered everywhere along the depths of the pit for nearly a third of a mile.

As the fighting ended that day, the viciousness of both sides was apparent. Firing down the slopes, both sides took opportunities to take pot shots at the wounded below them. Rescue attempts to reach and retrieve the wounded were ended when the rescuers were killed or wounded by deadly sniper fire.

As darkness fully brought the fighting of the day to an end, Union and Confederate soldiers lay atop each side of the ravine, heads down and faces in the dirt. They spent a night of horror listening to desperate cries for help and water. There was nothing either side could do to help at that point.

Mysterious blue balls of light sometimes are reported hovering low in the ravine, floating below onlookers on the ridges above. Their meaning and possible origins are unknown to us. Some motorists along the Burnside Bridge Road have also reported the curious blue lights of the Otto Swale swiftly passing them on the road and exiting at the lower entrance to the ravine bottom from Burnside Bridge Road."

Calling @Virginia Dave, @Viper21 @Stone in the wall @Rebforever - Do any of you know anything about this or have heard about it? I didn't know or heard about it the last two times I was there.
(As an aside, are you familiar with what the Gullah-Geechee mean when they speak of “jack omuhlanterns?” These are fiery orbs in the swamps or other areas which are used to protect caches of money which were buried for safe keeping. Or, they could also be a negative orb which would lead you away from your destination in a confusion of being traveling in the dark. Orbs and their story and uses are well commented on in the Gullah-Geechee culture.)
 
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Mark Brugh also does one of the two ghost tours in Sharpsburg. I was planning to stop in at Captain Benders and ask about some things including the hollow, and the ghost of the little boy who haunts their upstairs. But it looks like the covid enforcement is now tightening back up around here, so I'll have too see how that goes.
 
I don't really know the story of Otto's Swale but I do feel a presence at Antietam like no other battlefield I've been to. Can't really explain it but I feel it. @Georgia I don't know anything about orbs but my other half took these photos at Olustee a few years ago and swears they're orbs. It was a crystal clear night with no wind whatsoever.
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Mysterious blue balls of light sometimes are reported hovering low in the ravine, floating below onlookers on the ridges above. Their meaning and possible origins are unknown to us.
This phenomena is quite common within the Deep South states as well.
Although the color is not usually described .... other than a "ball of light" that defies gravity and seems to move with a purpose.

Personally I've never seen this, but I know too many people that have.

Actually I've seen scarier unexplained things.

So now, I tend to avoid any conversations about hauntings.

Not sure why I even commented on this thread.
I guess it's because I've been hearing similar stories all of my life.
 
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When I was small I remember my Grandparents talking about Balls of light floating near their old home place in Martinsville, Virginia. Never saw one myself, but I remember the stories. Plus I use to sit in their front yard and watch for them. My uncle scared us little'uns once with a large lantern covered with cloth when he came running around the side of the house screaming he was being chased. LOL
 
When I was small I remember my Grandparents talking about Balls of light floating near their old home place in Martinsville, Virginia.
Exact same with me.

Although it was not my Grandparent's house, it was someone's in the area.

I remember the stories.
" My" ball of light story was always told by my maternal Grandfather.
(born in 1900) and said he the saw the light multiple times during his youth.

That Grandfather was a very serious and intelligent man. Not prone to talk about anything that wasn't explainable.
So when every one else started to scream " it's a ghost" !

He would try to rationalize this ball of light as some type of natural phenomena.

But he would never say what he thought
it really was, other than: " It may have been this ..."
or " It could have have been that ... "

:unsure:
 
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