THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The site where the Civil War began has long been associated with reports of ghostly soldiers, phantom cannon fire, and unexplained voices. Visitors occasionally describe strange experiences after touring the fort.
Fort Sumter is said to be haunted by a soldier’s ghost. On April 13, Union Army Major Robert Anderson surrendered Fort Sumter to the Confederates. He ordered a final 100-gun salute to the Union flag, and on the 47th shot, a gun misfired and killed Union Soldier Daniel Hough. Since then, witnesses have seen the ghost of a Union soldier or smelling smoke and gunpowder. Interestingly, the Fort Sumter that Daniel Hough was saluting when he was killed developed a faded area that looks like a man’s face with a Union cap resembling Daniel Hough.