Gettysburg Battlefield - Sachs Covered Bridge
A Brief History: Sachs Bridge, also known as Waterworks Covered Bridge, is located near Waterworks Road in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The bridge was constructed around 1854 and spans 100 feet across the Marsh Creek. This specific bridge is a covered truss bridge. The bridge was constructed from planks, which allowed for the use of cheap labor. The many planks crissÂcross the bridge giving it a unique design. The bridge was also covered providing protection from the elements.
On July 1, 1863 the I Corps of the Union Army crossed this bridge heading towards Gettysburg. The III Corps of the Union Army also crossed Sachs Bridge getting to Black Horse Tavern on the same day. On July 1, 1863 General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia retreated over Sachs Bridge after the Union victory in Gettysburg. With the Union army waiting on the other side, General Lee’s army was forced to move even further back to Fairfield where the troops divided and crossed the mountains. In their attempt to avoid the Union Army, the Confederate Army suffered causalities.
In 1938 Sachs Bridge was declared a historic landmark. In June of 1996 a flash flood knocked the bridge apart. A restoration project was already in place when this flash flood took place. Additional funds would be spent to restore the bridge to its almost original state. Today the bridge is fully restored and can be crossed only by pedestrians.
Haunted History: Claims for this area include voices, full body apparitions, people getting touched, and cold spots on the bridge. Some say that they have seen full body apparitions of Confederate soldiers. Some believe the Confederate soldiers appear because they were abandoned by their regiments when retreating over the bridge. There is also a claim that General Robert E. Lee himself can be seen roaming on and around the area near Sachs Bridge.
