Five of us (Tommy Varner, Tony McConnell, Bobby Hughes, Chris Harmon, and myself) decided to walk down to a section of the camp where a spring was located. During the war, prisoners there were relegated to drinking and bathing in severely contaminated water - the area was referred to as the "Sinks." Well, lightning struck the ground at a certain point and a spring erupted from the ground giving the prisoners a source of fresh water. They named it Providence Spring and this was our destination.

Though dark, we could see quite well with the full moon up. We reached the spring and took some pictures and were just kind of standing there looking around and talking. Across the field, this fog slowly began appearing - nothing unusual about it so far. Well, we left the immediate area of the spring and continued toward the far end of the stockade grounds. This brought us into the fog, which seemed to quickly swirl around us along with a sudden drop in temperature. It was a cool night, but we found ourselves shivering and blowing in our hands to warm them up. The fog swirled around dark forms which upon investigating discovered they were tree trunks or low bushes. As we started toward the far end of the sinks, a couple of dark forms were noticed further up the hillside near the stone block marking a corner of the stockade.

On we walked up the hill taking us away from the spring and the Sinks. We realized we were out of the fog and turned to look back at it. There wasn't any!! Ignoring it (this time) we continued up the hillside to the far end of the stockade grounds - still cold - like ice. Upon reaching the stone block, it was brought to our attention by one in the group that the only thing up here on the hillside to be seen as a dark form was the corner marker. What were the other dark forms we saw? Who knows….

After a few moments of taking in the view of the campfires in the distance illuminating the stockade walls, we started back down the way we had come. As soon as we reached the low area of the Sinks again, the fog rose from the ground all around us almost instantly. NOW we noticed and we brusquely walked through and started up the opposite slope. As we started up again, the fog instantly vanished!

Now, although very curious and attempting in some way to explain this, we were genuinely spooked. Two of us, one being me, considered experimenting to see if it would happen again. The others wanted no part of it. Well, I was further down the slope than the other three and decided to start back down to see what would happen. As I reached the bottom, the fog again instantly appeared. I heard the voices of the guys behind me cursing me for doing this but not wanting the "1st Sgt to do this alone". This time we walked toward the side of the stockade grounds where the fog had appeared to come from the very first time. It seemed to part and withdraw away from us. We reached the posts marking the location of the edge of the stockade and once again the fog just vanished. Stepping out onto the road which circles the grounds, the iciness disappeared as well. Still cool, yes, but there was a VERY discernible increase in the temperature. We stood there for some time watching the area of the Sinks and spring hoping the fog would appear once again on its own, but...................................nothing.

I mentioned going back again and was told' "1st Sgt, if you make me follow you back in there again, I'm going to kick your a@@!"

The ghosts of Andersonville had welcomed us as some of their own. Their presence was felt in the fog and the far end of the stockade. The iciness pronouncing their close proximity, but never once feeling a sense of foreboding or ill will. How different it might have been had we been wearing gray……………………..