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Civil War

Phil T

New Member
Hello...I’m new to the forum, and this is my first post. I’m very impressed with your answers on this subject and hope that you can give me some insight and thoughts on what I’m experiencing. Sorry for the lengthy post. I’ve tried to limit the details as much as possible….

The time period of the Civil War has always held more than just a passing interest for me. I remember many years ago standing in the village of Appomattox Court House late one Spring night. As I stood by the McLean house looking out over the quiet moonlit fields, roads, and buildings, I could feel a strong sense of the men who once occupied this area on a similar Spring day in April of 1865. Since that night, I’ve been privileged to walk many of the battlefields where so much fighting and suffering occurred, but I’ve never experienced the strong and emotionally powerful feelings that surrounded me on one cool dark October night at Devil’s Den on the Gettysburg Battlefield. What made these experiences extra special was the fact that a few months prior to this trip, I was told, by a psychic in Lily Dale NY, that in a previous life I had been a Civil War soldier. She said that I should visit the battlefield in Gettysburg where I would reconnect with places that I would feel very familiar with. As we toured the battlefield, I found that I was almost immediately drawn to only one area, Devil’s Den. Not only could I sense a strong presence of the spirits that remained, but I had the strongest feelings that I too had been here once before, on a hot humid day in July of 1863. I hardly took notice of, or had any interest in the rest of the battlefield.

It was as if I had returned to a place that held so many memories for me. On the way home from Gettysburg, we stopped and toured the Antietam Battlefield. Again I was immediately drawn to one particular spot, Burnside’s Bridge. After returning home, I started to have memories of a time, just prior to the battle of Gettysburg. On one occasion, I saw myself in the upstairs bedroom of a house or hotel. I was standing in front of a marble topped dresser with a large oval mirror adjusting my Confederate uniform. I held the rank of Captain and I had just received orders to proceed to Gettysburg. As I focused more intently on the details, it was if I was there once again. The second floor room was very nice and simply furnished to satisfy the needs of a weary traveler. Two windows with white lace curtains overlooked the dirt street below. I could open the door to my room and look down the hall toward the top of the stairway. Later glimpses into the past revealed to me that my wife’s name was Sarah. She had brownish blonde hair and we had two young daughters who were a beautiful image of their mother. The oldest was Katie and the youngest, Maggie. I can easily picture them in my mind and recall having to leave them to go to war. They were dressed in matching light blue dresses as they stood on the porch watching me ride off into the distance. I remember how my heart was breaking as I said goodbye to my wife and children that I loved so dearly, not knowing when or if I was ever to return to them. Just this past week, before going to sleep, I had a memory of being in uniform with Sarah and the children in church.

The memory was so real that I was able to remember the exact words of the minister. They seemed to be imprinted in my mind as I got out of bed and wrote them down…. “And as ye go, go in peace and be not afraid, for God is with thee and will watch over thee all the days of thy life.” Those words seem very appropriate for a time of war. These memories were very vivid and detailed. Almost a year later, I started researching the battles at Devil’s Den and Burnside’s Bridge. What I found amazed me. The 2nd, 15th, 17th, and 20th Georgia Infantry fought at both of these locations and surrendered at Appomattox.

I have so many questions, but I will just ask these; How do I tell if the memories I’m experiencing are actually real, rather than imagined? When someone asked me about the names of my “past life family,” I was able to answer with confidence and almost immediately. How is that possible? Finally, and most importantly… In the past few weeks, the memories of my “past life family” have become so intense that I become almost emotional when I think about them. It’s as if I’m reliving the pain of losing them, and I can’t separate the past from the present. I have this overpowering need and desire to be with them again. Is such a strong emotion normal when experiencing past life memories?
Thank You……..
 
HI Phil T,


Are you familiar with the case of Jeff Keene? I have provided you with a link to his video. He also has a book and will at times come here to the forum and respond to members. He is a retired Fire Chief from New York. His is a fascinating story with a lot of validations.


The way you are describing your memories is very indicative of a true memory. These types of experiences stay with you - even years later and feel real. Names, places and the little things (such as the vow you quoted) also imply a past life. Strong emotions are key....no doubt.


Welcome to the forum -and please do not hesitate to ask questions and ask for reference materials.
 
Hello Phil, welcome to the forum, and thanks for sharing your experience.


To answer the age old question, how do you know if your experience is real or imagined is probably the difference between reincarnation being a belief and an accepted fact. Unless you can back it up with physical evidence, then it's all down to you, and others, to believe that what you remember personally, actually happened. The way you describe your memories, the powerful emotion, the little details that remain vivid in your mind, are all good indicators that you are remembering a past life.


A lot of the members reading along will be able to relate with those intense feelings of loss and seperation, so you're in good company. Unfortunately, we can't just flick a switch and turn those feelings off, it can take months, years, even an entire lifetime to complete the 'journey'. But the good news is, that one lifetime with your loved ones isn't necessarily the end, we frequently return to lifetime after lifetime with the same souls who we've been with in the past. There's every chance that you'll meet your family again someday ..... that is if they're not around you already.


Here's a handy thread that may also answer your question: How do you know you're actually having a pl memory?


Thanks again for sharing, and fire away with any questions that you have, we're all here to help, and many of us know what you're going through.


Chris :)
 
Hiya Phil and welcome to the forum!


Thanks for sharing! Deborah and Chris have already given you some great advice -- I can only agree that what you describe definitely sounds like genuine past life memories.


I will also just insert though that not all memories are as emotional, or detailed, as you describe, but obviously these particular memories belongs to a traumatic experience, i.e. going off to war and not coming back.


What I always wonder, and you don't have to answer this in the forum if you don't feel like it, is why these memories suddenly pop up in the first place? What is triggering these memories? Why do you have to relive these awful feelings of leaving your family and letting them down? There must be a link to your present life -- and that link could provide you with a key to further understanding the past life :thumbsup:
 
Hi Phil,


By now you probably realize that a number of members here have traveled your same path of enlightenment, or one that is very familiar. You are, no doubt, well-traveled in the world; and having such familiarity with certain locations is not an everyday event. But, who can you talk to without sounding one half short of a full sandwich?


When I first encountered such feelings, I was certain that I hadn't quite grown up yet, and that my mental state had somehow deteriorated into fantasy. Certainly, you must have felt the same doubts. But, you'll find that, the more you read about this phenomenon, the more you'll realize that your consciousness has uncovered memories that don't belong in this lifetime. Yet, you'll probably notice patterns that seem to cross the barriers of time.


Go with it. Enjoy the ride. Find out more about yourself and the mysteries of life. Keep a personal journal, and continue writing down your dreams. Above all, have faith that you can always come to this Forum with your questions and findings.
 
Hi Phil:


I found your memories very interesting. Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:


I believe I had a life as a young Confederate soldier from Mississippi who killed at Gettysburg. When my husband and I visited there last summer, I couldn't shake the feeling of having been there before.


You've been given some good advice already. I too worry if my memories are real or imagined. But I know one thing for sure...I'm definitely not creative enough to "make up" these memories. :D
 
Hello & Thank You All!!


Hello, and Thanks to all of you who provide the very helpful insights to this fascinating subject. I’d like to briefly respond to some of your comments. Hi Deborah, Yes I’m familiar with the story and events surrounding the life of Mr. Keene. I have his book, “Someone Else’s Yesterday” and I find the connection and resemblance to Confederate General John B. Gordon truly amazing. I’m a very strong believer in Past Lives and Reincarnation. I do however find it rather strange that while I have no problem understanding and believing what others experience, I sometimes find myself questioning my own experiences. Long before receiving the past life information from the psychic medium in Lily Dale, I had purchased the book, “Discovering Your Past Lives” by Gloria Chadwick. However, it was only after traveling to Lily Dale that I actually tried some of the exercises in her book. The most effective of these was a word association exercise that uncovered thoughts and mental pictures that provided my first breakthrough in exploring my past life and answering many questions about my present life.


Chris, I agree with you. In order to believe, we must first have faith and be open to the possibilities. I do believe and I feel as though I tend to be open to more than most people as I am also a Paranormal Investigator of Civil War Battlefields. As I mentioned in my rather lengthy post, there were a lot of details that I left out. The first and most vivid memory was of the room that I was in prior to Gettysburg. I can still close my eyes and see it in incredible detail. The next most vivid of memories was being with Sarah and the children in church. In my research of this time period, I’ve accumulated many books. As with most people, I also rely on the internet a great deal. Not long after I was able to tell my friend, with no forethought, the names of my past life wife and children, I came across three photos which I believe in my heart to be them. These were three separate photos found at three separate times. Out of hundreds of photos, these brought forth the immediate and lingering emotional response that I previously spoke of. I honestly feel as though I have found my family again.


Sunniva, as I said, the memories first came to me through the use of Gloria Chadwick’s book. As for links to my present life, I have possibly found one that was pointed out by a friend. Several years ago, my dad had a stroke. Next my mom also had a stroke. Without hesitation I started to take care of them as they had always taken care of me, while I was growing up. Not only did I have them to care for, but I also had the responsibility of taking care of my wife and kids. Even after I developed some health problems, I was determined to keep up my responsibilities regardless of the way I felt or the side effects of the medications I was taking. Turning these duties over to someone else was not an option for me. A friend told me that she saw me as a Confederate Officer who felt a great responsibility for my command and my men, and this determination I had to care for others carried over from that past life. The amazing thing was that she never knew that I had previously been told about being a Confederate Officer or that I had experienced any past life memories.


Nightrain, I know that this journey will reveal itself in time. I certainly have patience and an openness to the memories that reveal themselves. It’s an amazing journey and I certainly will enjoy the ride....Thanks!!


To Kemetic, I wish you all the joys and wonders that come from connecting with your past life. I feel so blessed that I’ve been able to reconnect with a life and family that I loved, and still miss a great deal. Some of the memories are painful, but they are also priceless to me. To my new friends….. Thanks for your support and for allowing me to be a part of this Wonderful Forum!!
 
There have been others on the forum remembering civil war related lifetimes.


I've read a book, Echoes from the battlefield about regressing civil war reenactors - they remembered lifetimes in that era alright, but not exactly what they had imagined.. Have you thought about seeing a regressionist?


You remember being at the Appomattox court house but still have sorrow for being separated from your family - if you lived through the surrender, normally you would have had a good chance to see your family again - but there were epidemics in the starving south after the war, so maybe you or them died before you could go back home? Perhaps you died in battle and was already in spirit, but still following your soldiers at Appomattox?


Do you feel more drawn to any of the Georgia Infantry regiments? If not, try asking questions to your subconscious with a pendulum (worked for me). How many captains would there be to research if you can pick one regiment?
 
Hello & Thanks for the links and I have the book that you mentioned.... The first regiment that comes to mind is the 15th Georgia Infantry. However there were three other Georgia Regiments present, the 2nd, 17th, and the 20th. As for the number of Captains... There were approximately 10 companies per regiment and as the position was vacated by death, disease, being taken prisoner, or an officer resigning their commision, the position was filled by another man. So you can see how many possibilities there could be. Just a single regiment could have 20 or 30 men who held the position of Captain. I have often felt as though, at one point, I was a prisoner of war. Perhaps the uncertainty of being able to return to my family could account for the sorrow of being seperated from my family, however I feel this emotion even now when I think of them. The idea of using a pendulum is a good one. I will certainly try that. I'm in the process of researching the Georgia Regiments in an attempt to narrow my search. The person that I'm looking for would have been present during a certain time period to have participated in the battles that I have memories of. They would also have held the rank of Captain during these battles. With patience and research I should be able to narrow the field some. I'm also in the process of entering all of my past life memories in a journal. Hopefully this will bring out more of the details and clues that I have overlooked. As much as I would love to see a regressionist, this isn't possible in the area where I live. To tell you the truth, if I told anyone here about the memories I was experiencing, they would think that I was crazy.


Again, Thanks for your post.......
 
Hi Phil T,


I was hoping for some updates - if you are still around. :D
 
Hi Deborah,


Thanks for your interest.... Since I last posted, I've done extensive research trying to find factual evidence that could explain the past life memories I've had. Step by step I was able to connect names, feelings, and events to only one person. I posted on 9/01/2010, "The first regiment that comes to mind is the 15th Georgia Infantry." It was indeed the 15th Georgia Infantry Regiment which held the key to my search. Several months after I last posted, I started to feel very strongly about one individual. His name was Thomas H. Jackson. It was as if I was very comfortable and connected with the name before ever researching the man. Through regimental history and hours spent on genealogical websites and their forums, I was able to find the following information and connections.


I felt that during a past life I held the rank of a Confederate Captain and felt strong connections to Gettysburg and Antietam. Thomas held the rank of Captain with the 15th Georgia Infantry Company H, and was the only officer present holding this rank at both Gettysburg and Antietam. During the battle of Antietam, he relieved the mortally wounded Colonel Millican late in the day on 17 September and took command of the entire 15th Regiment, being the senior surviving officer present. In early 2009, I took a past life word association test. The three most notable responses that stood out were: bridge - Antietam/Death, mountain - Round Top, and cornfields - Death. When I visited Gettysburg in October of 2009 I was drawn to the area of Devil's Den / Little Round Top. I later found that this was the area in which Thomas and the 15th Infantry fought. At Antietam, the Georgia Infantry Regiments experienced heavy fighting at Burnside's Bridge, and at both Gettysburg and Antietam, they were connected to fighting in "cornfields." This is stated in the battlefield reports of both battles. In earlier posts, I mentioned that I felt that my wife's name was Sarah and that we had two children named Katie, which was the oldest, and Maggie. I was asked by a friend, before beginning my search, if there were others names that I remembered. Without hesitation, I said "Elizabeth," but pointed out that this was a middle name and not her first name. After much digging I found the following: Thomas was married to Nancy "Elizabeth" Swift. His sister, with whom he was especially close and wrote many letters to during the war, was Sarah. Thomas and Elizabeth indeed had two children, a daughter and a son (he was born after the war). The oldest was named Katie. Maybe by coincidence, Thomas' brother John had a daughter named "Mattie." For as long as I can remember, I've always felt the overwhelming responsibility for the safety of both my family and friends which exceeds what I feel is normal and expected. Being in command of a company and later the regiment during the heat of battle, I'm sure that these same feelings and concerns about the welfare of his men weighed heavily on Thomas' mind all through the war. In addition, I've always had a fear of being imprisoned. Never having been in any kind of trouble and leading a relatively quiet family life, I could never explain this fear. Through research and records I found that Thomas was captured at the battle of Fort Harrison September 29, 1864 and spent the last ten months as a prisoner of war. In April of 1865, the remainder of the 15th Georgia Infantry surrendered at Appomattox and Thomas would later be released to return home to his family in July of 1865.


Since I last posted and after much research, I've been fortunate to once again visit the battlefields and retrace the steps of Thomas and the brave men of the 15th Georgia Infantry, this time however, feeling a much deeper connection than I had ever dreamed of when my quest for understanding a simple dream began some three years ago. I still continue to have quiet moments when brief flashes of this past life presents itself, and there are also times when reading a book about the war can produce images or scenes of people and events that are much too real to be explained. These experiences continue to strengthen my belief in past lives and the ultimate possibility that I was indeed a living witness to history.


Deborah, Here's hoping that you and everyone here on the "Past Life Forum" will have a Wonderful & Memorable New Year.... Take Care
 
Wow, I too have a connection with the Civil War...Thank you for the update, I really enjoyed reading your story. :)
 
I've been reading this and would love another update! Its interesting, the Civil War is the one where I have zero interest in, other than a general historical interest.
 
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