Gen. Wallace Still Haunts Tennessee Mansion

The white-pillared Cherry Mansion in Savannah, Tenn., is where General Wallace died with his wife at his side.

"My darling knew he was going and pressed my hand long and fondly to his heart. Then he waved me away and said, ‘We meet in Heaven." They were the last words upon those loved lips," Ann Wallace later wrote.

The home is privately owned but identified by a historical marker. The owners say it is haunted and passersby report seeing a Civil War soldier looking from an upstairs window.

The speculation is it is Wallace's ghost.
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Cherry Mansion History

The Cherry Mansion, located on Main Street in Savannah, TN was built around 1830 by David Robinson, who in turn gave it to his daughter when she married W. H. Cherry. Cherry was a wealthy man, who owned much land, and many slaves. During the Civil War, Cherry was an ardent Union Sympathizer, as were many people in Savannah. Mr. Cherry always opened his home to Union soldiers.

In 1862, just before the Battle of Shiloh, some Union soldiers, including General U. S. Grant, were welcomed into the mansion. In fact, Grant was there in the mansion during the first hours of the battle, reportedly recovering from a night of binge drinking. Even so, had it not been for Mr. Cherry making his home so opening, and welcoming Union forces, the outcome of Shiloh may have been different.


Today, Cherry Mansion is a privately owned home, but is marked by a historical marker. For years, owners have said the house is haunted, though no one has ever been harmed by the ghosts. Among the more common activity reported here are typical ghostly activity: apparitions, loud noises, and the occasional voice. Many passersby have reported seeing a man dressed in a Civil War era military uniform peering out of an upstairs window.

In 1976, a well documented ghostly occurrence happened. Four people witnessed a man dressed in a white suit walking down the street. Something about him just didn't seem right. He walked up to the medal historical marker, and read it very carefully. Then he vanished!
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Union Major General W.H.L. Wallace

William Harvey Lamb Wallace earned acclaim and a brigadier general’s star as a fighting officer. Unfortunately, it was the same approach which led to his death, April 10, 1862, due to wounds suffered at the Battle of Shiloh.

Wallace was born in Urbana, Ohio, July 8, 1821. As a boy, his family relocated to La Salle County, Illinois. In 1846, Wallace was admitted to the Illinois bar, but within a year, he enlisted in the 1st Illinois Volunteers for the Mexican War. Initially a private, he rose to first lieutenant and regimental adjutant while fighting under the army of Zachary Taylor.

After the war, he returned home and resumed his law practice. He was an elected district attorney for a time. With a call for troops at the start of the Civil War, Wallace returned to the military as colonel of the 11th Illinois (enlisted May 1, 1861), a 90-day unit which extended its enlistment for three years. Based at Bird’s Point, Missouri, Wallace led his men on a chase of Missouri State Guard Brig. Gen. Jeff Thompson “The Swamp Rat” holding Bloomfield, Missouri. That was part of the campaign with ended with the Battle of Belmont, Missouri, Nov. 7, 1861.

First contact with the enemy came in skirmishes against Thompson’s forces. If the 11th Illinois missed out on the main fighting at Belmont, it made up for it at Fort Donelson, Feb. 13-16, 1862. In the campaign to take the river forts in northern Tennessee, Wallace commanded the Second Brigade of Brig. Gen. John McClernard’s First Division, Wallace’s men had an easy time at Fort Henry. But in the siege of Fort Donelson, Wallace and his brigade were in the thick of the fighting. The brigade suffered with a change in weather and then suffered heavily from Brig. Gen. Pillow’s attack out of the fort Feb. 15, 1862. Representative of the carnage was the 11th Illinois. According to the adjutant general’s report, in five hours, the 11th Illinois, part of Wallace’s 2nd Brigade, lost 329 of its 509 men who were killed, wounded or missing. Of that number, 72 were killed and 182 wounded.

In reorganization of the army, Wallace was promoted to brigadier general March 21, 1862, and assigned to command of the 2nd Division of the six concentrating around Savannah and Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. The morning of April 6, 1862, found Wallace’s division on the Federal right, in advance of the main lines. Suffering heavy casualties during the Confederate attacks, Wallace brought his command back to form up on the right of Brig. Gen. Benjamin Prentiss’ 6th Division at what later became known as the “Hornet’s Nest.” Defending the sunken road in heavy woods, the Federals were ordered to hold out. Late in the day, April 6, the position began to break. Just after conferring with Prentiss to hold out to the last man, Wallace was hit in the head with a piece of shell. Prentiss surrendered soon after that. Wallace was left on the field, undisturbed among the many casualties. It’s likely he was left for dead in the dark.

Federal troops found him about 10 a.m. April 7, somehow still alive. He was removed to Pittsburg Landing, where his wife had arrived the day before. Wallace lingered until April 10, when he died at the Federal command post (Cherry Mansion) at Savannah, Tennessee. Wallace was buried near Ottawa, Illinois.