Sayler’s Creek Battlefield
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Sayler's Creek Battlefield
June 28, 2009: Sailor’s Creek Battlefield, Amelia County, VA
The Battle of Sayler’s Creek (also known as Sailor’s Creek, Hillsman Farm, or Lockett Farm) was fought April 6, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, as part of the Appomattox Campaign, in the final days of the American Civil War.
After Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant broke the Confederate defenses at the Siege of Petersburg, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia began a retreat in hopes of linking up with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s army in North Carolina.
On April 6 at Sayler’s Creek, nearly one fourth of the retreating Confederate army was cut off by Union cavalry forces under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan and elements of the II and VI Corps. Two Confederate divisions fought the VI Corps along the creek. The Confederates attacked but were driven back, where Union artillery deployed at the Hillsman Farm played a key role in their repulse. Soon after the Union cavalry cut through the right of the Confederate lines. Most Confederates surrendered, including generals Richard S. Ewell, Seth M. Barton, James P. Simms, Meriwether Lewis Clark, Sr., Joseph B. Kershaw, Custis Lee (Robert E. Lee’s son), Dudley M. Du Bose, Eppa Hunton, and Montgomery D. Corse. Also present at this battle was Confederate Commander John Randolph Tucker and his naval squadron (300–400 strong). Farther away, II Corps pushed back John Brown Gordon, who had mistakenly been on a different road.
Upon seeing the survivors streaming along the road, Lee exclaimed in front of General Mahone, “My God, has the army dissolved?” to which he replied, “No, General, here are troops ready to do their duty.” Touched by the faithful duty of his men, Lee told Mahone, “Yes, there are still some true men left … Will you please keep those people back?”
Estimated casualites (including surrenders): 9,980
Our investigation was concentrated along Little Sailor’s Creek, just below the Hillsman house, which was taken by Union forces and converted into a field hospital during the battle. In her journals, Mrs. Hillsman wrote of her family taking refuge in their cellar, where the light began to darken as amputated limbs were piled in front of the basement windows. Blood stains still darken the original wood floor planking of the house, and one can almost smell the sulfur of cannon and canister that railed upon the Confederates trapped at the creek between tightening Union forces.
Along the creekbank, we immediately began seeing inconsistent and random EMF fluctuations with the Tri-field meter, several digital EMF meters and a K2. These spikes did not seem to consistently occur in response to direct questions, but we could find no other source to trace the fluctuations to. We did several control tests against traffic on the distant road, and found no consistent pattern of fluctuation that could be attributed to passing vehicles.
At one point, one of our investigators began whistling “Dixie”, and the K2 showed an immediate, prolonged red-line response. Shortly after this, the K2 seemed to respond to pointed questions, “answering” appropriately and timely to investigator questions. For a period of about 40 minutes, one team experienced seeming “communication”, with temperature fluctuation and battery drain in conjunction with EMF fluctuations…
Tags: battlefield, civil war, ghost, haunted, lynchburg, paranormal, Sayler's Creek
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