THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The Mississinewa Battlefield has a longstanding reputation for unexplained activity associated with the violent fighting that occurred along the river in December 1812. Campers and visitors have reported hearing phantom battle noises, running footsteps in the water, distant war cries and voices whispering through the trees. One account described the smell of sulfur and a smoky fog resembling muzzle-loader smoke appearing along the river. A submitted firsthand account reports hearing unexplained flutes and drums, seeing two humanlike figures apparently chasing one another through the woods, repeated growling sounds, unexplained EMF readings, and EVP communication with an entity identifying itself as "Tommy." Local folklore also associates the surrounding gravel roads with an area nicknamed "Hobbit Land," where additional strange figures and apparitions have been reported. Another tradition describes phantom Native American figures traveling along or near the river. (Submission by Jessica)
The Battle of the Mississinewa was fought along the Mississinewa River in Grant County, Indiana, on December 17 and 18, 1812. Lt. Col. John B. Campbell led more than 600 mounted American troops into the region to attack and destroy Miami and Delaware villages. Native warriors counterattacked Campbell's camp before dawn on December 18, resulting in casualties on both sides. The battlefield and surrounding river valley later became associated with numerous ghost stories and paranormal investigations.