 |
INVESTIGATION #027
Fort Mifflin
Philadelphia, Pa.
Date Of Investigation: June 14, 2009
Time: 8:00pm - 6:30am
Investigators on the Scene: Marty Seibel, Lisa Rose, Richard Bond, Kelly Hoynoski, Robin Tapley, Mychael Hottle, Spurgeon Hudgins, Bob Woodruff, Candy Woodruff, Shea Willis, Candace
Mitchell, Ann MacLeod-Lambert and RJ Deacon
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 70 degrees, 73% humidity, Wind: Southeast 9.2 MPH
Moon: waning gibbous with 62% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated
Background History
Located on the Delaware River, Fort Mifflin was originally built by the British in 1771. It is the site of the largest bombardment the North American continent has ever witnessed. In 1777, during the American Revolution, a valiant five-week battle took
place when the British Navy attacked Fort Mifflin on Mud Island. The British had the garrison of approximately 400
Continental soldiers surrounded from three sides. Attempting to open the supply line for the British Army already in
the Rebel capital of Philadelphia, the British shot over 10,000 cannonballs at the Fort, causing the garrison to eventually
evacuate. Over 150 Continental soldiers died as a result of the battle. This allowed General Washington and the
Continental Army to repair to their winter quarters in a place called the Valley Forge. Too late in the season for
British General Howe to chase them, the garrison at Fort Mifflin thus extended the war and allowed the American
army time to regroup until the spring of 1778.
Investigation Data
SVPS made their first trip to Philadelphia to investigate Fort Mifflin on June 14th, 2009. A total of 13 members participated
in the investigation, three teams into the field. Two teams of four and one of five. Team A consisted of Marty Seibel, Lisa
Rose, Kelly Hoynoski and Richard Bond. Team B consisted of Shea Wills, Ann MacLeod-Lambert, Candace Mitchell and
RJ Deacon. Team C consisted of Robin Tapley, Bob and Candy Woodruff, Spurgeon Hudgins and Mychael Hottle.
Starting locations included the officer's quarters, casement 11 and casements 1-5. IR survellience cameras were to run
continuously in casement 11 and the gunpowder magazine.
Photograph Results
Digital and 35 photographs revealed many orbs in various locations. One photograph revealed Ectoplasma (mist) at the
entrance of casement 11 as seen below. With various enviromental factors in and around the fort such as mosquitoes,
moisture and dust, orb photographs were not taken into
consideration as any type of tangible evidence.
Fort Mifflin
Casement 5
|
Fort Mifflin
Officer's Quarters
|
Fort Mifflin
Casement 11
|
Fort Mifflin
Casement 4
|
Fort Mifflin
Barracks
|
West
Sallyport
|
Powder
Magazine
|
Audio & Video Results
Evp recordings were captured all through the fort. Most active areas for evp included Casement 11, Casement 5 and both the powder and torpedo magazines. Recordings are posted below.
1 IR camera was placed at the entrance of casement 11 while another was placed in the torpedo magazine and were left
to record for 10 hours. Bob and Candy Woodruff placed a camcorder with night vision in the powder magazine for the
entire evening.
Personal Experiences
There were many personal experiences through the evening beginning on our tour of the fort and the grounds during the early
evening hours. As our group stopped just outside of the Blacksmith's Shop and listened to our host explain about the area,
two of our investigators heard what sounded like a young child laughing and giggling. Candace Mitchell and Mychael
Hottle both stopped and looked around to see if there any children or anyone around at all laughing. Both confirmed
they had indeed heard the same thing after the tour was over. Both Candace and Mychael insisted it was the laugh
of a young girl.
Mychael Hottle's account of Girl Giggling
After setting up all of the equipment, Lorraine Irby began giving us a tour of the fort and the accounts of paranormal
activity. We were standing about 15 yards in front of the blacksmith shop facing north toward the artillery shed.
Another member, Candace was standing behind Lorraine taking pictures of the area. Lorraine had just finished
mentioning how the Commandants children, who lived in the house at the center of the fort, would have likely
played within the walls of the fort. As Lorraine continued speaking, I heard what sounded like a little girl
giggle or laugh that seemed to originate from the small hill, left of the artillery shed.
I looked around in disbelief for a moment to see if anyone else heard it. I noticed Candace had stopped taking pictures
and was looking around and seemed to be reacting to something as well. After a few seconds, she walked over and
rejoined the group. I was positive she heard something. As we moved onto the next location I asked her if she had
heard anything while we were standing in front of the blacksmith shop. She said, "I heard what sounded like a
woman laughing." She also said something like - "Why do you think I walked over to where everyone else was
standing?" We have no evidence to back up this account. However, after speaking with Candace, it was
very validating for me.
|
There were experiences in the officer's quarters as well. While on the first floor and doing evp work, an open door slammed
shut. Bob and Candy Woodruff experienced this as they were inside the room where the door slammed and were lucky
enough to capture it on audio tape. There was no breeze, no wind to speak of and yet this door was slammed shut with
a violent thurst. This is documented and listed in our audio clips from the investigation.
Again this same experience was witnessed by Marty Seibel and Richard Bond much later into the investigation, around 2:30
am. After just finishing up a evp session on the first floor in which Marty Seibel was sitting beside this same door which
was open again, Bond and Seibel decided to head upstairs and conduct more evp sessions. While conducting evp upstairs,
there is loud crashing sound that was recorded as well. Thinking something had fallen, they both arrived downstairs
to discover this same door shut tight. So tight in fact that you had to pry it from the door frame, as it was stuck. Again,
no breeze or wind, we could not re-create this event. As with Bob and Candy, Marty Seibel was able to capture this
on audio and is listed in our audio clips.
While investigating the Blacksmith's Shop, Spurgeon Hudgins witnessed just outside the shop, a shadow figure of what
appeared to be a child. Amazed and overwhelmed, Spurgeon actually followed this figure for a brief time until it
disappeared from sight.
Shea Willis spent a considerable amount of time in casement 11 and began to feel quite uncomfortable. A very heavy feeling
that shook her so much that she had to remove herself from casement 11 and take a break to control her emotions. In the
same area, Ann MacLeod-Lambert was shoved, as she turned around to see who was behind her, there was no one there.
Final Conclusion: Haunted
Simply a wonderful investigation. Well worth the time and money for this investigation and trip up to Philadelphia. It did
not disappoint. Numerous personal experiences were documented the entire evening. Photographs had mixed results while
video yielded no evidence of paranormal activity. That would have been the only negative but paranormal activity does not
appear on command. We were extremely successful with audio, probably more than any other SVPS investigation in recent
memory. We believe we pulled in at least three class A evps and numerous class B. Based on the audio, photographs and
personal experiences, we most certainly believe Fort Mifflin to be quite haunted indeed. A return investigation is being
planned for 2010.
Copyright © Marty Seibel
|
|
