The Urban Legend of Green Eyes

Summary

The content discusses the urban legend of Old Green Eyes, a ghostly figure said to haunt the Chickamauga Battlefield, with sightings dating back to the Civil War.

Abstract

The article, sourced from The Rome-News Tribune, delves into the lore surrounding the Chickamauga Battlefield's most famous spectral inhabitant, Old Green Eyes. Edward Tinney, a historian and former park ranger, recounts how tales of this apparition, which vary from a Confederate soldier to a green-eyed panther or a demon-like creature with glowing eyes and fangs, have persisted since the end of the Civil War. These stories are believed to originate from soldiers who survived the war. Sightings of Old Green Eyes have been reported by both park rangers and visitors, with some encounters even leading to car accidents in the 1970s. The ghost is frequently spotted on Snodgrass Hill, a notable site of Civil War carnage. Additionally, the grounds are said to be haunted by a ghostly lady in white, searching for her lost love.

Opinions

Edward Tinney, with his background as a historian and park ranger, lends credibility to the tales of supernatural encounters at the Chickamauga Battlefield.
The legend of Old Green Eyes is deeply intertwined with the history of the Civil War, suggesting that such ghost stories are a cultural response to the trauma and suffering experienced during significant historical conflicts.
The various forms of Old Green Eyes reflect the evolving nature of urban legends, adapting to the beliefs and fears of different eras and storytellers.
The recurring sightings and the impact they've had (such as causing car accidents) indicate a strong collective belief in the presence of the supernatural at this historical site.

The Urban Legend of Green Eyes

Thank you, Jeff Porter, for informing me of another urban legend to research.

This is from The Rome-News Tribune

Wherever there is great suffering, people always see strange things.

These are the words of Edward Tinney, former historian and chief ranger at Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park. Tinney, who worked at the park from 1969 to 1986 and also spent time working at the battlegrounds of Shiloh, Tennesee, said ghostly sightings at the Chickamauga Battlefield or any Civil War site are not uncommon.

Tinney said the legend of Old Green Eyes, the ghost who is said to haunt the battlefield in various forms, ranging from a Confederate solder to a green-eyed panther, has been part of the Chickamauga Battlefield lore since the last shot was fired at the bloody battle that claimed 34,000 casualties September 19–20, 1863. Tinney said the tales of Green Eyes and other phantom sightings stem from the soldiers who lived through the War Between The States.

Another form of the story is that Old Green Eyes is a demon who hides in the bushes of the park. The humanoid creature has glowing green-orange eyes with fang-like teeth. He wears a cape, which is partially obscured by his waist-length hair. The ghoul was first seen prowling among the corpses after Civil War battles.

Since then, the phantom has been reported by both park rangers and visitors. In the 1970s, it caused two separate automobile accidents when it was spotted alongside the road. Old Green Eyes is most often encountered on Snodgrass Hill, a bloody Civil War battle site.

The ghost lady in white is also seen roaming the grounds. She is said to be searching for her sweetheart, who died in the carnage.