321. The Ghosts of NAS 1874

Updated: Mar 25, 2022

Most all Pensacolians have heard of the haunted Old Lighthouse at NAS. So much so, that "Ghost Hunters" viewed an episode there looking for the walkers of the pale nations. A recent 2019 article in the News Journal even speaks of six permanent residents identified from the other side that apparently call the structure their home. One of them is a young lady who died giving birth in 1911 while two others were reputed to be runaway slaves who were hung and buried on the property. Another is a former keeper plus two children, victims of Yellow Fever in 1922.

But most Pensacolians are not aware of some of the lesser known apparitions that roam the Naval Air Station even today. On June 6, 1961, the news journal printed an interesting story concerning these unknown wraiths of the spiritual world. First, there is the "Commandant's House" also known as "Quarters A." The original house was burnt by the retreating Confederates in 1862 and the current structure was rebuilt on the same site in 1874. The first occupant was Melancthon Brooks Woolsey who entered the US Navy in 1832 and served during the Civil War. As fate would have it, his last tour of duty with the Navy was in March 1873, when he became the commandant of the Pensacola Navy Yard. However, the following year brought him not only a new house but also a Yellow Fever epidemic. Although he bravely volunteered to stay at his post, he became extremely fearful of contracting the horrible disease. Because of this, he quarantined himself in the third floor cupola of the house and had his orderly bring him his meals including a bottle of "medicinal" rum. One night, his orderly forgot the rum and shortly afterwards he contracted the disease. He perished on October 2, 1874 and his body was shipped home and buried in Utica, NY. Perhaps this is why Woolsey's ghost still remains there today and is said to be an angry ghost, yelling for no apparent reasons and slamming doors. Or perhaps he stays because he is enraptured with the lovely but ghostly young lady that has been seen walking through the house transmitting a glowing light. She is always dressed in white with a scarf over her head and is said to have lived in a small room off of the home's dining room on the first floor. This spectral lady and her stately Naval Officer have been seen or sensed many times by the previous occupants of the home. They reported mysterious occurrences and rapping on doors or a sense that someone was following them step by step throughout the house. Even one cat named "Miss Patsy" who lived there in 1960 would stop suddenly and look over her shoulder and hiss at some unknown thing behind her.

Ironically, across from the home of Woolsey and the Lady in White is an octagonal two-story building built in 1834. It is the oldest building left at the Old Navy Yard. Because it was used as a chapel in 1862, the retreating Confederates left it intact. Now known as Building 16, it has seen many uses since that time. But again, this structure is thought to be haunted as well. However, this uncanny phantom still has an unfinished card game to play and like every good Marine he will see it through for eternity! Lieutenant Guy Braden Hall apparently enjoyed playing cards and was in the habit of picking up his poker chips and dropping them to the table, one click at a time. Stationed at NAS as early as 1920, he was quite comfortable in his flying and instructional duties above the quiet Gulf Coast town. But on April 2, 1925, he and his Aviation Machinist Mate Collin Martin Mangum (1894-1965) were at Corry Field flying a De Havilland, which happened to be the base's ambulance. Just after take off, Hall apparently had his nose too high causing it to stall from about 100 feet. Without lift, the plane side slipped to the ground, hitting on one wing and then cartwheeling nose down. Hall was killed instantly but Mangum survived with minor injuries. Mangum would settle in Pensacola and lived out his life at 2901 West Cervantes Street before passing away on April 9, 1965. He was buried in Barrancas Cemetery As to Lieutenant Hall, his body was sent home on the afternoon train to Muskogee, Oklahoma where he rests today next to his parents except for the occasional car game back in Pensacola. That's why even today people still hear those poker chips hitting the table.

Pensacola News Journal 6-6-1961

Commandant Melanchton Brooks Woolsey (1817-1874)

US Navy Hospital Records, Pensacola 10-1-1874

Last US Navy Hospital entry, 10-2-1874

NAS Quarters "A", the Commandant's House 1885

NAS Quarters "A", the Commandant's House 1961

Lieutenant Guy Braden Hall apparently enjoyed playing cards and was in the habit of picking up his poker chips and dropping them to the table, one click at a time. Stationed at NAS, he was killed on April 2, 1925 at Corry Field flying a De Havilland.