10 Historical Mysteries of the Civil War

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• published: 25 Dec 2016
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Were submarines and airplanes really used in the Civil War? From haunted forts, to mysterious glowing wounds, these are 10 Historical Mysteries of the Civil War ! Subscribe to American Eye http://goo.gl/GBphkv 6. USS Keystone State In November 1861, members of the Wisconsin militia were expecting a large shipment of weapons from the large ship called the USS Keystone state, but they never got their arms. This was an elaborate ship and was dubbed the Palace Steamers from it’s comfortable design. Certainly no ordinary cargo ship. With a crew of 33 people, it left Detroit and was set to land in Milwaukee but this never happened! The people who expected the delivery thought the ship just sort of vanished in mid air. Finally in 2013 the ship was found at the bottom of Lake Huron, near the city of Alpena. 5. Confederate Flying Machine A letter to Jefferson Davis was uncovered in the National Archives in Washington DC about an astonishing claim. Richard Oglesby Davidson proposed idea in this letter of building a flying machine capable of traveling at speeds of 100 miles per hour, if the Confederate government provided him with 1500$. This man was actually known for his inventive capabilities and wanted to provide the confederacy with his idea that came 40 years before the wright brothers. However, his offer went initially ignored by Jefferson Davis. Once again but more towards the end of the war, he proposed his idea to Robert E. Lee, including blueprints. 4. Winans Steam Gun Many mysterious, experimental weapons came out during the civil war, like this double barrel cannon for example and the designs are some what baffling. One of these weapons was the steam powered that rotated discs rapidly and fired projectiles. This would essentially replace gunpowder and be much quieter. This would essentially be able to fire an impressive 250 rounds per minute. This would be quite impressive considering modern machine guns normally range as low as 300 to as high as 1800 rounds per minute. Newspapers claimed it was be a war ending weapon. This weapon was on its way to be sold to the south when the union confiscated it. Some sources claim that this was put to use during riots. A Mythbusters experiment concluded that this idea never could have been lethal unless it was from point blank range. 3. The Gettysburg Ghosts Gettysburg was one of the hardest fought in all of the civil war and the casualties seem to be countless. Many believe believe that this battlefield is haunted by the ones who lost their lives here. There was so much energy that just seemed to be lost here that it almost seems that there’s no way for it not to be haunted. It’s believed that during the 3 day battle, there were 50,000 casualties. Buildings nearby have been featured on Ghost Hunters, Most Haunted and Ghost Adventures. Tourists who come to visit Gettysburg, often get a ghoulish surprise and noticing white orbs in their photos. Many people claim that this photo here is just a man in a union outfit walking to the right side of the road. But there were no re enactments this day and this was in an isolated area. Others claim to hear musket fire in the middles of the night and the eery smoke that seems to float over the battlefield. If there’s anywhere that’s haunted in the US, it’s this place. 2. Mysterious Submarine Discovery Experts claim that they finally discovered an elusive submarine called the HL Hunley that was used by the Confederates during the civil war. Some historians claim that this was the first submarine to ever sink a warship in battle. It was found off the coast of South Carolina. The design was actually used to ram explosives into enemy ships and not for firing torpedoes. This took place in February 1864 when the HL Hunley took down the USS Housatonic Sloop Ship. You can tell the design is somewhat primitive but looks sort of like our modern portrayal of a submarine. 1. Stonewall Jackson Mystery Stonewall Jackson was a major factor in the Civil War and his demise is shrouded in mystery. The confederate commander was 2nd in command, only behind General Robert E. Lee and a military genius. Could a confederate general of his magnitude have possibly been killed by a mistake like friendly fire like most people claim? He was shot by his own troops during the battle of Chancellorsville on May 2nd 1863 and this basically became a turning point in the war. Some believe that the positioning of the moon that night actually made his coat appear to look more dark blue which made the commander. Others claim it was nothing short than pure treason. They’re many conspiracy theories out there that claim many people didn’t support some of denouncing slavery in the south. Some people claim that they were in on the conspiracy but only after the war was over, possibly to get some fame. Friendly fire or unfriendly fire? What do you believe?