Date: September 18-19, 1998
Time: Investigation began at 4 PM on September 18 and ended at 7 AM on September 19.
Location: Ft. Mifflin - located along the Delaware River on Fort Mifflin Rd near the airport.
Equipment: Canon Sureshot 60zoom Camera with Kodak Gold 800 MAX Film, EPD Raynger ST4L Infrared Thermometer.
History: Ft Mifflin has been the witness to a good portion of U.S. History. The fort served as a defense against the British during the Revolutionary War and was bombarded during that period. It saw continued use until the 20th century as both a military installation and a temporary prison for Union as well as Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. The fort was the scene of many deaths during the Revolutionary War and was later the scene of one execution.
Those Present: Andy K., Sharon and Lew G., Rachel G., Danny and Nancy S., Bob R., Kenny and Donna B., Jen J., and Diane who works at the Fort.
Report: I arrived at the fort just before 4PM. Most of the other members were already present and waiting outside the fort. We entered and left our equipment in the casemate section of the fort.
I spent most of this first period in the fort wandering around and enjoying the history that was surrounding me. I spent many minutes just sitting on the ground absorbing the peaceful atmosphere that now pervades the fort. I got no impressions of spirit activity during this time.
Later, after talking with other members and discussing plans for the evening, I was approached by Bob R. As we talked, I asked him about the success he has had with his night vision scope. After telling me about some of the things he has seen, he suggested that I try it out myself. We went into one of the casemates first, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Next we proceeded to the powder magazine in the middle of the fort. This was the beginning of the most active period of the investigation for me and the most exciting as I witnessed several things I had never experienced before.
Bob and I entered the magazine, I took up a position within the main room (there is a tunnel leading to the main room which has two 90 degree turns), Bob turned out the lights and followed me in. He immediately said that he saw something. He handed me the night vision in order for me to check it out. I first saw a small bright light on the back wall moving back and forth fairly rapidly. Next, to my amazement, I witnessed an orb floating up near the ceiling. It came towards me, went over my head, and went back again. The best way that I can describe it as it appeared in night vision is that it resembled a bubble of oil floating in water, but quite obviously, that was not the case. I was thrilled by this sighting, but quickly handed the scope back to Bob because I did not want to hog his equipment. He watched it for a short while and suggested that he felt uncomfortable and perhaps we should leave.
A short time after we left, we found Lew. He went with us back into the magazine. This time neither Lew or Bob could see anything in their night vision. Lew decided to go outside to see if perhaps it was out there. Not long after he left, Bob and I heard very distinct, heavy footsteps which seemed to come through the tunnel very near to where we were in the main room. The footsteps stopped. Bob said "Lew?" and then "Sharon?", but no one answered. We proceeded to get up and go into the tunnel, but no one was there.
By now, I was fascinated with this powder magazine. I was trying to encourage anyone to go back in with me. Sharon followed me once and as we got in the tunnel, we felt a very definite presence in the air.
Shortly afterwards, we tried again. Again, the presence was very thick in the air. Sharon only went a short way into the first tunnel because of the strong feelings. I proceeded up to the first bend in the tunnel. As I looked around the corner, I saw what I can only describe as a glowing blue form - I saw what appeared to be a head and the trunk of a body seemingly peering around the next turn in the tunnel. I did not see any details. I was stunned and, unfortunately, my first reaction was fright. I turned and ran out of the tunnel. Once Sharon saw me coming, she ran as well. As we came out of the tunnel, Bob, who had been watching the mouth of the tunnel with night vision, said an orb followed us out. From the other side of the fort, Kenny also observed this orb with his night vision - he said it followed us out, turned around and went back in. This was to be the last major activity that I experienced in the fort, although other small things happened throughout the night, nothing else occurred like this!
After eating, I proceeded to begin exploring other areas of the fort with Sharon and Rachel. I experienced nothing out of the ordinary, even during another brief stay later in the powder magazine.
After midnight, we decided to break into smaller groups for the purpose of setting up 1/2 hour watches in four different places in the fort. I went with Lew. We began in the casemates. We experienced nothing here except that once I thought I heard a distant booming like a bass drum. Next, we moved to the blacksmiths shop. I sat near the forge and we closed the doors. Nothing out of the ordinary happened until Lew began to "talk" to any spirits that might be in the room. I noticed that it began to get a little cooler and, in fact, my thermal scanner registered about a two degree drop - nothing significant, but a drop nonetheless. Towards the end of our stay here, I heard a small clicking from the corner nearest me that I never found a reason for.
Next, Lew and I went to the sally port. As we approached I though I smelled a chemical odor which Lew confirmed. We first sat in the room on the right. A couple of times in here, I thought I saw indistinct movement out of the corner of my eye. Lew thought he heard movement and noticed a lighting change outside. In the other room, I experienced nothing.
As it was approaching 3:00, we went to a prearranged meeting with other investigators at the barracks where a strange knocking has been heard on one of the doors at that time in the morning. We waited for that knock but heard nothing that was not explainable.
For the rest of the morning before dawn, I spent most of my time in the powder magazine. At first, there were many people in there. Later, it was just Rachel and I. During the time when Rachel and I were in the magazine, we heard a few small sounds and once I thought I saw a flash in the back of the room at the same time that Rachel noted a reading on her EMF detector. We tried talking to the spirit and once thought we saw him in the tunnel, but I now think it was the light of first dawn coming through the tunnel.
Impressions: There is definitely some strange activity at Fort Mifflin. For me, this activity was most prevalent in the powder magazine where I am certain that there is at least one spirit who seems very curious. This location needs further investigations. The Fort itself is a wonderful place to visit. The history that jumps out at you from this wonderfully preserved location makes it worth further investigations and visits even if we encounter no spirits. Thank you to the staff of Fort Mifflin for allowing me to have this experience!
Andy K.
9/30/98