Civil War Ghosts and Legends

by Nancy Roberts

The countless horrible deaths and bloody strife of the Civil War have always haunted America--as these eerie stories reveal, and sometimes literally. The turbulence of that era has left us with extraordinary tales that serve as a reminder of the heroism displayed and the torture endured by the soldiers of both sides. A man from Harper's Ferry, bearing a striking resemblance to John Brown, is often asked to pose for photographs; but his image never appears when they are developed. The ghost of a murdered captain appears before his colonel and reveals who did the killing. A reenactment of J. E. B. Stuart's famous ride becomes a frightening reality as one man witnesses his great grandfather's fall in battle a hundred years prior. These, and other legends, uniquely blend suspense, mystery, and history.

Genres: Civil War, History, Paranormal, Ghosts, American Civil War, Ghost Stories

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Young Adult book, which was a fast read for me. There are eighteen stories which are ghost stories and "legends" set in the time period of or just after the Civil War. The author Nancy Roberts was born in Wisconsin but her parents were from North Carolina and she went to that state to live. In her preface, she states that she regards the Civil War from "a relatively impartial point of view." I disagree as I feel she shows a strong Southern bias--but that is OK, as I could still enjoy the stories.
One story I knew about was the one about "the Angel of Marye's Heights." This may be considered a legend but it is true. South Carolinian Richard Kirkland went out on the battlefield with canteens to give water to wounded Union soldiers lying in the field before Marye's Heights at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia on December 13, 1862. It was a courageous act as he was risking his life and he became a legendary figure of the war. Kirkland was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia. Another story I knew about was the one about another South Carolinian--this time a black slave--named Robert Smalls. In this story, Smalls was able to steal a Rebel steamboat and deliver it to the Union Navy blockading the Charleston, S.C., harbor, thus also winning freedom for himself--and his family.
Most of the stories are ghost stories or involve the supernatural in some way. The one I liked best was about the McRaven mansion in Vicksburg, Mississippi. After Vicksburg's surrender to General U.S. Grant, the federals occupied the city and the imposing McRaven house. When a Union captain named McPherson disappeared, an extensive search was made for him which found nothing. But the Union colonel at the McRaven house saw an apparition at night, a figure with a torn uniform and a battered head, appearing to be drenched with water. It was McPherson, who told the colonel he had been murdered by Confederates and his body thrown into the Mississippi River, never to be found...It is said the bloody specter of the Yankee captain continues to be seen at the McRaven house...at night.
Believe ghost stories or don't believe them--they can be entertaining. Anyone want to spend the night at the McRaven house? Nancy Roberts writes that the house is at 1445 Harrison Street, Vicksburg, Mississippi, and it's open to the public...

[Jasmine (Jazzie) [Jesus Loves You!!] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rtc

[Brian Bruns · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, I really did. There were hardly any ghost stories at all, but with several pages of historical fiction to set up a two sentence explanation that 'some people still see this person years later as a ghost'. That's not very interesting to me. The legends were more interesting, but mostly felt like it was all made up. This is due to Nancy Roberts' decision to ramp up every story with pages of backstory for the witnesses, which does little to set the mood because it's written on such a young adult level.

[Kellene · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually like Roberts' books, but this one fell flat for me. Not sure exactly where the ghost stories were..

[William Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book, I enjoyed all of the stories but one. A Mystic Power at Gettysburg. In this story it's said that Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the twentieth Maine heading towards Gettysburg came under cannon fire as he led his troops up to the top of Little Round Top. It says he sent his three sons to the rear of the column. He had no children at Gettysburg, only his brother Thomas. Someone did not do research on this brave person.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and I enjoyed the stories. I like that there were stories showing both sides, their struggles and victories. The stories are well written and have interesting facts. I found myself wondering exactly how much was true and how much was contrived. I did look up some people that were mentioned to learn more about them and that information did match what the book said. It is just the part about ghosts and spirits etc that seem far fetched but of course people can decide how much of that they want to believe. I only gave it 3 stars because it got a little boring at times, this isn't really my reading style, but I did like that the stories were more positive and not just depressing war stories. I am glad I read it and I'll be passing it on to someone else who will enjoy it.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried very hard to like this book, I just couldn't. It failed to hold my interest and I found it to be confusing and unclear at times, even though it seemed to be written for a younger age group, probably aimed at a middle school aged audience. Some of the stories were interesting, but most weren't, most likely because the author was unclear. It was easy to tell that she just made most of the stories up from her imagination, providing very little even slightly factual background. I would not recommend this book to anyone and I probably won't read anything else by this author.

[Cate Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

To all of the people saying there are no ghost stories: You must have read a different book. While there are one or two with no ghosts (hence the “Legends” portion of the title) the stories are all rich with history, where the ghosts come from by the way, and occasionally spooky stories. The dialogue sometimes leaves something to be desired but that’s obviously not the purpose of the book and there was rarely any dialogue anyhow. A great quick read for history/ghost fans

[Camille · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories that were in this book were good. Fascinating things that you wouldn't come across in your Civil War reading. Unfortunately, none of the stories got into much detail. Just when it was getting good, it was over. I found that the writing was very basic - about a sixth grade level - certainly not written for adults. But if you want a good easy read - this satisfies.

[Candice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't look past the error in the chapter about Chamberlain where she said his three sons went to war with him. That glaring mistake, which is a huge mistake, in my opinion, ruined the rest of the book for me.

[Colleen Mertens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a neat collection of short ghost stories based on Civil war events and places. Some of the stories were more interesting than others. The book was written well and had some historical background. A good, quick, somewhat seasonal read.

[R.B. Nease · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was ok but nothing like I thought it would be. Ghosts and Legends? Not so much. Its a bunch of compiled stories that most people have already heard of about the Civil War. I liked the book ok but not as a good source for the stories I was hoping for.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read!

[Gasmask Dandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Found this lazing about on my shelf. Barely readable tripe. Nearly zero ghosts.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was disappointing to find the book was compiled of stories that most people have already heard of about the Civil War.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting stories from the Civil War era. There were a handful that I had never heard before. Really enjoyed this one!

From ghostly troop movements, to a spy that almost lost her life. This really was interesting and full of some great stories! Loved it!

[Jessica Sedgwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first real experience with an audiobook. It was well-read and some stories were moving to the point where I shed tears.

[Janine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t realize that this is a young adult book and very basic . Unfortunately, there are few ghost stories and the book could have also benefited from better editing.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a group of 18 spooky stories having to do with the civil war. Actually none of them are really spooky at all. I read this while reading other books.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been interested in the Civil War and this book provides interesting legends not found in most histories of that period.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and very good. If you like Ghosts and American History, it's the perfect book.