An old tale is told here in Indiana of a man named Silas Shimmerhorn. He was a deserter from General Morgan’s Confederate Raiders. After Silas deserted, he hid outside Versailles in the hills, valleys, and woods because he knew if he was caught by either side his days would of living would be numbered. For a while, Silas wandered around sleeping under the stars until he stumbled upon a cave, which is known today as the Bat Cave. (No, it isn't the cave of Batman but rodent like bats)
We all can imagine Silas living a solitary and difficult life. At first Silas hunted game with the rifle he kept from his time as a soldier his ammunition started to dwindle. Cyrus made himself a bow and a set of arrows from tree branches. He began to hunt with the bow and arrows.
It was around this time Silas made some strange friends on his hunts, large pack of wolves. Silas wasn't scared like a normal human being. As a matter of fact, Silas befriended the wolves with pieces of the game he killed. It didn't take any time at all for the wolves to adopt Silas into their pack. Silas and letting his hair, mustache, and beard growing long. He ran wild with the wolf pack through the fields and hunting with them.
This is where the trouble again for the nearby farmers. Silas and the wolves were ransacking the chicken houses, slaughtering cattle. It doesn't take a vivid imagination to understand how horrified the farmers were find their animals dead.
Rumors began to spread of the wild man with the pack of wolves being seen in the woods. Some farmers reported seeing an odd stranger watching them. If they approached the stranger, he fled. The farmers described him as wearing no shirt or shoes, and wearing ragged gray uniform pants with long hair and beard.
The residents of Versailles started to set traps to catch the Wolfman. The traps were wasted effort. The Wolfman, Silas, proved too invasive for the traps. However the tracker from the town made some headway in tracing Silas and wolves to the bat cave. Unfortunately, they didn't catch Silas but they were confronted by a bunch of snarling wolves. Trackers made a hasty retreat.
It has been said after hearing some of the stories of the Wolfman of Versailles, some of Silas’ old army buddies went north in search of him. They hope to persuade Silas to return with them but to no avail. The only thing they got was a howling wolves in their ears.
This also said eventually, some brave farmers ventured into the bat cave. The only things they found were the remains of the pine straw bed and eating utensils.
Today the area Silas roamed and hunted is Versailles State Park. Campers have reported hearing wolves howl at night only to learn there are no wolves in the park. A cave enthusiast has reported seeing Silas and his pack of wolves and the bat cave. A park ranger had seen them too the incident wasn't reported.
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Haunted Indiana vol. 1
by Mark Marimen
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