Fort Mifflin Investigation
Location: Philadelphia, PA.
Date: Friday January 20, 2006, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.
Moon Phase: Between waning gibbous and last quarter.
Solar Weather: Flares normal, geomagnetic field quiet.
Investigators present: Hillary M., Paul M., John M., Randy G., Robert H.,
guest investigators Cheryl and Jennifer.
Equipment: Olympus C-3000 digital camera, four Sony digital video cameras
with Nightshot and IR extenders, Extech EMF meter, Olympus DS-1 Digital Voice
Recorder, Extech IR thermometer, Kodak digital camera, 2 Panasonic digital voice
recorders, 2 remote sensor 35mm cameras, Olympus C-4000 digital camera, Olympus
2000 digital voice recorder, Canon PowerShot S2 IS digital camera.
History: After Washington's defeat at Brandywine in 1777, a force of
20,000 British and Hessian troops marched into Philadelphia, led by General
William Howe. With the Colonial Army weakened, Howe could have attacked them
west of the city and wiped them out -- probably defeating the Revolution -- but
his own forces had run short of supplies. The supplies were waiting on the
Delaware on a fleet of ships.
Before General Howe arrived with his 20,000, the rebels, led by General
Thomas Mifflin, had occupied and strengthened the partially built British fort
that guarded the waterways. The British attacked Mifflin's stronghold, and
around November 16, 1777, Fort Mifflin finally fell. As well as inflicting
severe casualties upon the British, however, the Colonists accomplished their
mission: the British supply ships were delayed. Winter had set in, and General
Howe was unable to attack Washington's troops.
Restored in 1795, Fort Mifflin was again manned during the War of 1812,
though it saw no action. During the Civil War it was used as a prison camp. The
Fort was disarmed in 1904.
The above information was taken from http://www.fieldtrip.com/pa/54923395.htm
Philadelphia Inquirer article regarding the siege of Fort Mifflin: http://www.11thpa.org/elk_news_7.html
Investigation: John, Randy, Cheryl, Jennifer and I arrived at the Fort
at 8:00 p.m. (Robert and Paul arrived a few hours later.) We immediately split
up into two groups. Cheryl, Jennifer and I (group 1) went into the casemates and
set up an infrared video camera in the hallway. John and Randy (group 2) went
into the Officer's Quarters. Group 1 started in casemate #5. We recorded there
for 25 minutes but obtained no positive photos or recordings, so we moved into
casemate #1 at 8:40. Here, Cheryl saw an orb moving over the wooden bunks away
from her with her naked eye. After 20 minutes, we left the casemates.
On the way to the Soldier's barracks I called group 2 on the two-way
radio. This is when a very excited John and Randy told me that we missed the
event of the night. When we met John and Randy in the barracks a few minutes
later, they recounted their experience which can be read here.
They insisted that we go over to the second floor of the officer's quarters to
record next.
At 9:20, we headed over to Elizabeth Pratt's room in the Officer's
quarters. During this time we did obtain an EVP, but no positive photos. Next,
we held EVP sessions in the powder magazine, the artillery shed, and the sally
port.
When Paul and Robert arrived around 11:30, we took a long break and asked
Wayne (the caretaker) to give us a full tour. Next, we all headed over to the
Officer's quarters where group 2 had so much success earlier in the night. John,
Randy, Cheryl and Jennifer went upstairs to Elizabeth Pratt's room
while Robert, Paul, and I stayed in the downstairs room right under it. After
that we conducted group sessions in the casemates, the torpedo magazine, and the
powder magazine before going back one more time to the Officer's quarters. We
left the fort just before 6:00 a.m.
Conclusions: The fort seemed to me to be very inactive this night. I
witnessed nothing unusual the entire night, and only obtained a few positive
photos. If it were not for Randy and John's extraordinary experience, I would
have considered the night to be a dud. Upon reviewing our recordings, though, we
were pleased to find that we did get a couple good EVPs. I still believe this
fort to be very active, even if I don't witness the activity with my own eyes.
We hope to investigate this fort further in 2007.
We wish to thank the employees and volunteers at Fort Mifflin for allowing us
to conduct this investigation.
Submitted by Hillary Murdoch