I live outside Philly for quite some time. Heard many known stories around the area. A lot of you are familiar about Eastern State Penitentiary and Ft. Mifflin from a known TV ghost hunting investigators.
However, do you know if your getting the full story? I’ll give you one full story. Now, you heard of Ft. Mifflin “The Fort That Saved America”. For those who don’t know the “half” story . The British originally built the fort in 1771. It’s located on the Delaware River across from New Jersey. It’s four miles south of Philly and next door to the Philadelphia International Airport. You can touch the planes as they fly overhead. It has been in continuous use til the 1950’s. Because of it’s location from the Atlantic Ocean. The route up the Delaware was the main food supply chain to the city in the 1700’s this included the surrounding areas. George Washington was in Valley Forge and was in great need of supplies. And, the British knew it. Ft. Mifflin was their prime target to destroy to stop it. Or, was it their “only” target? Well, guess again!
What a lot of people don’t know there was a fort on the other side of the river at Red Band, West Deptford, NJ. Ft. Mercer, it’s no longer there. However, there is a house that is still there from that era, The Whitall House. And, it’s most definitely haunted. And, this is where the Battle of Red Bank took place. The scope of the battle was huge. Two thousand Hessians under the command of Colonel Karl Von Donop were sent to Gloucester City, NJ to prepare for the attack. They camped in Haddonfield and was overheard of their plans to attack Ft. Mercer. Jonas Cattell a 19 year old apprentice blacksmith ran from Haddonfield to Red Bank to warn of the impending attack. Col. Greene of the 1st and 2nd regiments just arrived at the fort with a troop of 400 men which made it a total of 600 at the fort ready for battle. Chevaux-de-frise, a sort of timber spikes held down with boxes of rocks on the bottom of the river. They were placed between Ft. Mercer and Ft. Mifflin to puncture holes in the bottom of the British ships arriving for battle. Which six man-of-wars did arrived. By the end of the battle two ships were destroyed by fire the Augusta and Merlin on the New Jersey side. The Hessians lost 377 plus 20 missing /captured men. The Americans 14 killed and 27 wounded. All the injured including both the Hessians and Continentals were both treated medically at the Whitall House due to the fact that Mrs. Whitall was a Quaker. One of the wounded was Colonel Karl Von Donop. During his time at the home was pleasant. He died of his wounds and was buried with his men at the site. The fort was abandoned and set on fire by Col. Greene before Lord Cornwalis arrive with his troop of five thousand men.
As for haunted? Yes, you bet! Some Park Rangers have experienced strange feelings when patrolling the park at night and, hearing voices. One felt like he was leading a charge of men. Inside the Whitall home people have heard voices mostly in the attic. There is also a story of two Hessians that lost their heads during the battle. And, were buried with the wrong heads. So, their headless ghosts wander the park at night looking for their own heads. When visiting the site. The first thing you notice is how close the single family homes are built. About less then a hundred feet from where the fort was located. And the most ominous feeling to the place. This is in the daytime hours. You see picnickers and people playing soft ball, barbeques. It’s quite a surreal site to see .
So, next time when your planning to visit a haunted site. See if you can squeeze maybe two sites for the price of one. Just do your homework first.
Author : Jackie Cicero
Author’s email: crouton1@myway.com
Author’s Blog Url: http://ghost-lounge.blogspot.com/
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