Читать книгу Nashville Haunted Handbook - Jeff Morris - Страница 13

directions

Evergreen Cemetery is in Murfreesboro near the battlefield. From downtown Nashville, take I-24 East for about 27 miles to Exit 78B. Take Exit 78B toward Murfreesboro on the Old Fort Parkway. After 3 miles on Old Fort Parkway, turn right onto Clark Boulevard; then take your third right onto North Highland Avenue. The entrance to the cemetery will be your third left on Highland.

history

This cemetery wasn’t established until 1872, making it strange at first sight that the most famous feature of the cemetery is a circle of Confederate dead. The story of the Confederate Circle in Evergreen Cemetery starts at the Battle of Murfreesboro (see the Slaughter Pen at Stones River National Battlefield chapter) during the Civil War. Thousands of men from both sides of the battle were killed during the brutal fighting. Many of the Confederate dead were buried at the Old Confederate Cemetery, a mile and a half south of Murfreesboro across the street from the Samsonite luggage plant.

In 1891, it was determined that the bodies of the Confederate dead be moved to Evergreen Cemetery within the city of Murfreesboro itself. Over 2,000 bodies were moved from the mass grave at the Old Confederate Cemetery to the Confederate Circle at Evergreen.

ghost story

The Confederate dead roam Evergreen Cemetery to this day. There are many different stories of encounters with these soldiers here. Most often, people will report seeing actual shadowy figures walking through the cemetery in the vicinity of the Confederate Circle at night. Sometimes, these figures are wearing Civil War uniforms. Since the figures are only silhouettes when they are seen, it is impossible to tell if the uniforms are gray or blue, but witnesses report that the ghosts are in Civil War uniforms.

Other witnesses report feelings of uneasiness near the Confederate Circle. People feel as if they are being watched or followed through the cemetery. Other people will hear the distant sounds of battle or will hear moans coming from the ground. These phenomena are experienced during both day and night.

visiting

Evergreen Cemetery closes at dusk, so do not attempt to enter the cemetery after this time. The cemetery is visible from outside the walls, so you can walk the perimeter of the cemetery after dark looking for the shadowy figures that are said to roam here. Other ghostly phenomena, though, have been reported during the day in the vicinity of the Confederate Circle. Feel free to stroll the cemetery during the day listening for the sounds that have haunted this site since the Confederate dead were moved here in 1891.