Fort Mifflin, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A History Steeped in Battles and Ghosts
Okay, history buffs, gather ’round! Let’s talk about Fort Mifflin in Philly. This place isn’t just some old pile of bricks; it’s a spot where history practically oozes from the walls. We’re talking Revolutionary War battles, Civil War prisoners, and maybe even a few lingering spirits.
Humble Beginnings: Guarding the Gateway
Back in the 1700s, Philadelphia was the place to be in the New World – the British Empire’s wealthiest port. But with wealth comes attention, and French and Spanish privateers were getting a little too interested in the Delaware River.
During King George’s War (1744-1748), the city was vulnerable. Benjamin Franklin, ever the resourceful guy, stepped up to form a militia because the Quaker-heavy legislature wasn’t keen on military action. Franklin raised funds to build defenses, but once the war ended, the city’s defenses were left to fall apart.
Even after the French and Indian War in the 1750s, ideas were floated around for a fort on Mud Island, but nothing was ever built.
Building a Fortress (Sort Of)
Fast forward to 1771, and Philadelphia is booming. But tensions with Britain are rising, too. The Secretary of State for the Colonies wasn’t thrilled with all the protests and rebellious talk. So, Pennsylvania Governor John Penn asked General Thomas Gage to send someone to design a fort. The idea was to build a fort on Mud Island (also called Deep Water Island) to control the comings and goings in the port.
Enter Captain John Montresor, a British engineer. He whipped up six designs, but the board of commissioners thought they were too pricey. Montresor’s ideal plan would cost around £40,000 and hold 32 cannons, four mortars, and four royal howitzers. That’s a 400-man garrison, mind you!
The Assembly coughed up £15,000 for construction and the island. Montresor was told to get started, but without the necessary funding, he was not thrilled.
On June 4, 1772, Montresor, frustrated, left the foreman in charge of the construction. After a year, the project stalled due to lack of direction and funds. They only finished the east and south stone walls.
The Revolution Rises
After the Declaration of Independence, Ben Franklin took charge to defend Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Committee of Public Safety got back to work on the fort, finally finishing it in 1776. They also built Fort Mercer across the river in New Jersey. The goal was simple: use these forts to keep the British Navy out of the Delaware River and protect against General Howe and Admiral Reynolds’ naval fleet.
To beef up the defenses, they created a series of underwater obstacles between the forts. These were basically giant wooden boxes filled with tons of rock and spiked timbers, chained together to create a nasty surprise for any unsuspecting ships. A few friendly navigators knew the safe routes through the barrier, and the soldiers at Forts Mercer and Mifflin had a clear shot at anyone messing with the obstacles.
Under Siege
After George Washington’s defeat at the Battle of Brandywine, the British took Philadelphia in September 1777. They then laid siege to Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer in early October 1777, unsuccessfully attacking the latter by land and river in the Battle of Red Bank on October 22. The British needed the Delaware River open for supplies.
Captain John Montresor, the guy who initially designed and built Fort Mifflin, was now planning and building the siege works against it. Talk about a twist!
For over a month, about 400 American soldiers held off more than 2,000 British troops and 250 ships. Private Joseph Plumb Martin, who was stationed at the fort, later wrote an account of the battle.
Commodore John Hazelwood led a fleet of galleys, sloops, and fire vessels, constantly harassing the British and patrolling the river around the fort. On November 15, 1777, the Americans finally evacuated. Their stand had bought the Continental Army time to regroup and withdraw to Valley Forge.
Fort Mifflin was pounded harder than almost any other place during the Revolution. Of the 400+ soldiers stationed there, 250 were killed or wounded. The fort never saw battle again.
Rebuilding and Renaming
The ruins of Fort Mifflin sat untouched until 1793, when they started rebuilding under the first system of U.S. coastal fortifications. In 1794, Pierre L’Enfant, the guy who designed Washington, D.C., oversaw the reconstruction.
Reconstruction began in 1795 under engineer officer Louis de Tousard, who worked on coastal defenses from Massachusetts to the Carolinas. The initial goal was to rebuild the fort to accommodate 48 guns.
The army built barracks for soldiers in the 1790s, each designed to house 25 men. In 1795, the fort was officially named after Major General Thomas Mifflin, a Continental Army officer and the first post-independence Governor of Pennsylvania.
In 1796, over a cross-shaped hole near the center of the fort, the army built the extant citadel structure to house the commandant.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Rochefontaine replaced Pierre Charles L’Enfant as chief engineer at Fort Mifflin in 1798 and completed the citadel structure. The Commandant’s House is an example of Greek Revival architecture, which is rare on Army installations in the United States.
The 1800s: Expansion and Change
Rebuilding the fort consumed $94,000 of a total fort budget of $278,000 in 1798 and 1799 alone. U.S. Congress met in Philadelphia until 1800, and Fort Mifflin was well garrisoned until then, usually with two companies.
The army built the blacksmith shop before 1802, probably the oldest surviving complete structure at Fort Mifflin.
In 1808, Fort Mifflin was repaired due to the 1807 Second System Plan.
In 1814, a two-story officers’ quarters was built. The U.S. Army built a one-story brick structure in 1815-1816 as a guardhouse and prison. In about 1819, north of the fort’s walls, the army also built a two-story building that housed a hospital on the second floor and a mess hall on the ground floor.
In 1820, Fort Delaware was built, and Fort Mifflin became less important. However, building and garrisoning of Fort Mifflin continued. In the early 1820s, the army began meteorological observations at the fort.
The soldiers’ barracks building and the officers’ quarters were renovated in 1836. Later, the soldiers’ barracks were renovated again, and the roofline was changed to add the second floor. In 1837, the hospital and mess hall building was converted to a meetinghouse, and an artillery shed for the storage and protection of cannons was built on an interior raised platform.
By 1839, the army designated the one-story brick guardhouse prison as an arsenal.
During the 1840s, a two-story kitchen wing was added to the officers’ quarters building. On December 27, 1842, the army completed a brick, one-story sutler building/storehouse.
Civil War Years
During the Civil War, Fort Mifflin became a prison for Confederate soldiers, Union soldiers, and even some civilians. The conditions weren’t exactly luxurious, with a maximum capacity of 250 prisoners. There were 42 escapes and three prisoner deaths recorded.
One notable prisoner was William H. Howe, a Union soldier accused of desertion and murder. He attempted a mass escape, wrote letters to President Lincoln (even though he supposedly couldn’t read or write well), and was eventually executed at the fort. People paid to watch his execution.
Later Years and Preservation
After the Civil War, the fort was used off and on. It went through periods of repair, modernization, and even served as a munitions storage site during World War I. It was disarmed and partially dismantled in 1904.
In 1915, it became a National Historic Landmark. The two-story kitchen wings were removed from the officers’ quarters sometime before the 1920s.
During World War II, anti-aircraft guns were stationed there to protect nearby facilities.
It was finally decommissioned in 1954, making it one of the oldest continuously used forts in the country.
Today
Only the original white stone walls of Fort Mifflin survive today. The pockmarks in these stone walls evidence the intensity of the British bombardment of 1777. The standing buildings that remain today are the Arsenal, Artillery Shed, Blacksmith Shop, Sutler Building/Storehouse, Soldiers’ Barracks, Officers’ Quarters, Commandant’s House, Hospital/Messhall, West Sallyport, Casemates, East Magazine, and Casemate #11.
Fort Mifflin remains an active base for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is currently the oldest active U.S. military base and the only base predating the Declaration of Independence. Today, the site is a National Historic Landmark and offers grounds tours.
So, if you’re ever in Philadelphia, take a trip to Fort Mifflin. Walk the grounds, imagine the battles, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll catch a glimpse of the past.