what happened at fort mifflinwhat happened at fort mifflin

Howe decided to remove this thorn from their side as expeditiously as possible, ordering a siege against the American position on September 26, 1777. The United States Army responded by launching a full investigation. After the war, Fort Mifflin was rebuilt. Though covered in bricks from the collapsed chimney and suffering from a dislocated wrist, Smith survived because the round was spent. General Howe realized that if his army could not resupply while in Philadelphia, they would be unable to engage General George Washington and the Continental Army in battle before breaking for winter quarters. Captain Montresor of the British Army wrote after the attack, We opened our Batteries against Mud Island Fort, the whole consisting of two 32-pounders, six 24-pounders Iron, one 18-pounder, two 8-inch Howitzers, two 8-inch mortars, and one 13-inch mortar for throwing round shot and car-cases. For five long, brutal days, two thousand British troops and 250 ships shot over 10,000 cannon shells at the fort, trying to destroy it. For donations to Fort Mifflin, or to volunteer, go to:www.FortMifflin.us, or call 215-685-4167. Mifflin signed the United States Constitution, was the first governor of Pennsylvania, serving from 1790 to 1799,[1] and was also the state's last president, succeeding Benjamin Franklin in 1788. Congress appointed him a major general and inspector general of ordnance, and Washington assigned him the task of strengthening Philadelphia's river defenses. Howe declined to give the order for the 400-man storming party to attack, waiting for a high tide and hoping that the garrison would evacuate the fort. Also, why havent I been invited onto the City Pigeons Podcast? The American forces who had garrisoned both forts joined the rest of George Washingtons army for their encampment atValley Forge. It was modernized in 1917 and prepared for active military service following the United States involvement in World War I. The stone masonry on the East Wall are original to the forts initial construction in 1772, while the Main Gate was reconstructed in 1794. Fort Mifflin was reactivated with the onset of World War II and Korea. Mortars landed on the cedar roofs of the barracks and blockhouses, setting the fort on fire despite the constant rain and efforts to extinguish the flames. This specter is believed to be Elizabeth Pratt, who lived in the building with her husband and two children at the turn of the 19th Century. Anyone? ADMISSION FEES APPLY FOR SITE AND GROUNDS On November 10, with the assistance of the Royal Navy, Howe began an extended bombardment of the Fort Mifflin. In support of the assault on Fort Mercer, a squadron from Admiral Howe's fleet moved upriver under the command of Captain Francis Reynolds in the ship of the line HMSAugusta (64). On the night of September 22, Howe outmaneuvered Washington and won an unopposed crossing of the Schuylkill near Valley Forge. The siege of Fort Mifflin or the siege of Mud Island Fort, which took place from September 26 to November 16, 1777, saw British land batteries commanded by Captain John Montresor and a British naval squadron under Vice Admiral Lord Richard Howe attempt to capture an American fort in the Delaware River that was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Smith. This source gives Russell's full name and regiment (8th Connecticut). [31] Soon the last two units of his brigade were committed to the battle. Trenches were dug around the perimeter of the fort. As an example of the difficulties involved, the British lost an 8-inch howitzer and a soldier drowned when the craft carrying the gun sank in the Schuylkill. Open 7 days a week for school and tour groups, available by appointment. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. This act forced their enemies to build their batteries on top of the dikes and to labor in knee-deep water. Construction of Fort Mifflin on what was referred to as Mud Island began in 1771. By that date he had ready for action two 32-pounder, six 24-pounder, and one 18-pounder cannon plus two 8-inch howitzers, two 8-inch mortars, and one 13-inch mortar. After losing one man killed and one wounded, a total of two officers and 56 enlisted men from the 1st Grenadier Battalion waved the white flag. Originally called Fort Island Battery and also known as Mud Island Fort, Fort Mifflin was built between 1771 and 1776 and is located on Mud Island in Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. [17], Mifflin died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on January 23, 1800. [8] Washington ordered Colonel the Baron Henry Leonard d'Arendt, a six-foot tall Prussian to take charge of Fort Mifflin. The first stop is the old Hospital and Mess Hall (c. 1820/36) located next to the parking lot. He then returned to the state legislature, where he served until his death the following month. The fort was officially decommissioned by the federal government in 1954. The Mud Island Fort was located in a strategic area across from Fort Mercer, New Jersey, where the Schuylkill River emptied into the Delaware. Except where otherwise noted, this work is subject to They kept, Fort Mifflin was reactivated with the onset of World War II and Korea. Either you reopen the military base and get actual soldiers in there to protect the historic monument or you turn it into a pop-up beer garden where everyone can get trashed along the Delaware River. Those were Pam Beesly-Halpert's parting words to the documentary crew on the series finale of The Office . The casemate was used for storing and firing torpedoes. After the British bombardment, Fort Mifflin was left in ruins until 1793 when the planner of Washington D.C., Pierre Charles LEnfant, began reconstruction of the now historical landmark. A Hessian attempt to storm Fort Mercer failed with heavy losses on October 22 in the Battle of Red Bank. [24] The Americans asserted that a lucky hit from one of Fort Mifflin's red-hot shot or a fire ship started the blaze. Because of that, no one really has any idea when the cannon was taken and apparently theres no video evidence of the heist happening. Their iron tipped stakes threatened to tear the bottom out of any ship whose master was reckless enough to make the attempt. Hes been through a lot with I-95 collapsing and already has a strong alibi regardless of what was said on the City Pigeons Podcast. While the Patriot capital had fallen into enemy hands, Continental strongholds still surrounded the city, preventing British supply ships from reaching port. Whether its history, the paranormal, or watching airplanes fly several hundred feet overhead, Fort Mifflin has a little something for everybody. Founded in 1730. Fort Mifflin was strategic in the defense of Philadelphia during the War of 1812. And maybe its in somebodys yard, in somebodys living room, said Beatty. Columbia County had been under scrutiny for some time with allegations of draft dodging. He was removed from the project in 1795 and replaced by French engineer Lewis Tousard. [6] Another account states that ten 18-pound guns made up the main battery while each of the four blockhouses contained four cannons. To Note: Its a working cannon. On November 11, the British battered Fort Mifflin into submission and the Americans evacuated Fort Mercer. It was a cold and wet November in 1777 at Fort Mifflin (Named after General Thomas Mifflin), a wood and stone structure located nine miles from center city Philadelphia, on a muddy island in the Delaware River. Jesse? There were wooden barracks for the enlisted men along the west and north sides of the fort. Montresor informed Howe that the fortification was most vulnerable along its west wall, a mere earthen and wooden rampart. Then it would have to be moved across the parade ground and loaded into a truck. via 6ABC. It was a Saturday morning at Fort Mifflin, the Revolutionary War-era site, which had been transformed into a German-run World War II camp in Poland. Rumors soon began to swirl that five hundred Confederate sympathizers had constructed a fort somewhere in Columbia County. The defenders were tasked with holding off the British to the last extremity so that Washington could safely march his army to their winter encampments at Valley Forge. Another ghost frequently observed is the Man without a Face. Many people believe this to be the spirit of William H. Howe, since his face was covered with a hood just before his execution. British forces intensified their attempts to conquer the Delaware on October 22 at the Battle of Red Bank. During the battle, 1,200 Hessian soldiers under Count Carl von Donop attempted to storm the American stronghold at Fort Mercer while the British fleet engaged the Continental flotilla. The British Navy laid siege to Mud Island on September 26, 1777. The British court martialed two officers for this setback. [12] Fleury, who had come to America with Du Coudray, set about improving the defenses. Without the forts main cannons, the soldiers could not resist the British. [12] To further complicate matters, Lieutenant Colonel John Green of the 7th Virginia Regiment, who outranked Smith, arrived with reinforcements on October 18. While Thayers men crossed the Delaware to Fort Mercer, he and forty others stayed at the fort and set it ablaze. [13][14] Smith developed an uneasy relationship with Hazelwood and their differences soon became obvious. [41] Before the attack, the British strengthened the vessel's sides, added 24 sharpshooters and 50 gunners to the crew, and transferred two extra guns to her starboard side. While the fort itself is permanently inactive, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still operates a training facility outside its walls, making Fort Mifflin the oldest active military base in the United States and the only active base that predates the Declaration of Independence. Your admission also includes a raffle ticket for a chance to win a nights stay at the General Warren Inne. Captain James Nelson Barker was appointed commander of the fort on July 16, 1812. Photo cortesy of Fort Mifflin Sponsored [4] These troops were ready by the 13th and were to be supported by the 27th Foot and 29th Foot. For six bloody weeks, British forces shelled the fort with a relentless torrent of artillery fire, but the Americans refused to surrender. When Fort Mifflin closed, it was the oldest fort in continuous use in the United States, having served from 1771 to 1954. Fort Mifflin is the Most "Haunted" Place in the USA. Also, dont even try to pin this on The Meat Man. Between the forts in the river were nautical obstructions raised by the Americans as well as the presence of a small American flotilla. However, after four weeks of constant cannonades, the forts Continental defenders remained steadfast. Discover America 2015 - 2023. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. What they accomplished: The troops atFort Mifflin bottled up 250 British ships in the Delaware River for about six weeks, destroying several and preventing food, clothing, gunpowder and munitions from reachingthe British army in Philadelphia. Both of her children died during a yellow fever epidemic in 1802, which caused Elizabeth to slip into a deep state of bereavement and depression. Time was of the essence. His aristocratic airs soon irritated people. All Rights Reserved. Fort Mifflin was a Patriot stronghold that defended the Delaware River during the early years of the Revolutionary War. Mifflin was born January 10, 1744, in Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania. The victories of the 22nd and 23rd were a great encouragement to the Americans, but General Howe became determined that he must take the river. 82-88 By holding to the last extremity, as General George Washington had ordered, the men at Fort Mifflin gave Washington time to move his exhausted troops to Valley Forge for the winter and very possibly saved the country. For six bloody weeks, British forces shelled the fort with a relentless torrent of artillery fire, but the Americans refused to surrender. In February 1795 LEnfant was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Rochefontaine when LEnfant proved too difficult and expensive to work with. How long was this planned before the robbery? Bernadette Lear, Affiliate Faculty The fort was unsuccessfully defended against a a brutual artillery assault by British war ships and artillery, but held long enough to enable Washington and his troops to reach Valley Forge for the winter. As far as Im concerned, Fort Mifflin now has two options. Fort Mifflin was a Patriot stronghold that defended the Delaware River during the early years of the Revolutionary War. The building currently houses an intriguing exhibit about the Washington-Rochambeau Trail. From an exterior parapet, and with the aid of sharp eyesight or binoculars, one can spot roughly a mile-and-a-half across the river on the New Jersey side a column situated on a high bluff, on the site of Mifflin's sister redoubt and co-protector of the Delaware, Fort Mercer; the column is topped by a statue of Col. Christopher Greene of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment, under whose command the . After the floating battery came to anchor, the fort was subjected to a terrific point blank fire. Mifflin's leadership in the Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton led to a promotion to major general. Ever think of that while youre playing out your True Crime fantasy? The Americans were also desperately running low on ammunition and had to salvage intact British cannonballs from the forts walls. Tucked away from the sprawl of Philadelphia International Airport stands one of the most significant forts in American history. The only safe place in the fort was a ditch on the east side and Fleury would go there to round up men for work details, lashing out at the laggards with his cane. Fort Mifflin: The Fort that Saved America, Tucked away from the sprawl of Philadelphia International Airport stands one of the most significant forts in American history. Visitors walk one of the only remaining Revolutionary War battlefields and see barracks, hospital grounds, gunpowder rooms, and more. At the south end of the fort are the Artillery Shed (c. 1837) and Blacksmith Shop (c. 1790s). And Howe gained free navigation of the Delaware River. Down the Nature Path around the forts walls are six gun platforms known as the High and Mortar Batteries (c. 1871). County leadership maintained that they were unjustly targeted to provide more than their proportional share of men on the basis of political alliance, since the population was majority Democrat. Although the fort only saw action once in November 1777, it has remained an unflagging, and often unacknowledged, protector of its countrys interests. [23], The following day saw another stunning disaster for the British. With their victory at the Battle of Brandywine Creek on September 11, 1777, British forces under the command of General William Howe occupied the American capital of Philadelphia, forcing Congress to flee and further lower American morale. Howe dispatched coastal batteries to Montresors suggested location and instructed them to bombard the Mud Island Fort into submission. Fort Mifflin sits on the Delaware River, one of a number of Revolutionary War forts, including one directly across from it on the New Jersey side, Fort Mercer, which was an earthen fort interpreted at Red Bank Battlefield Park, that guarded the entry to Philadelphia and points north on the river. [34] On the 11th, Captain Treat was killed by the concussion of a near miss as he talked with Smith. Directly across from the Commandants House is the Torpedo Casemate (c. 1875), the last military structure constructed inside the fort. 11, No. The Department of War had spent over $100,000 dollars on fortifying Fort Mifflin, while only $30,000 was spent on Charleston, the next largest expenditure. Blah. With two feet of water over most of Mud Island and similar conditions on Province and Carpenter's Islands, the mutual cannon fire stopped as both sides tried to find a dry place. One shot managed to ignite the ships gun powder storage and it exploded in spectacular fashion. There are also said to be a screaming lady and a faceless ghost here. But few people are aware of it. Fink, if you have it, meet me on the banks of the Delaware River at dusk on 4th of July. [7] A bristling set of sharpened logs surrounded the fort while the low ground along the shoreline was infested with trous-de-loups or wolf holes. Early in the Revolutionary War, Mifflin left the Continental Congress to serve in the Continental Army. Experience history first-hand at National Historic Landmark Fort Mifflin - one of the only intact Revolutionary War battlefields and the only fort in Philadelphia! [26] The loud explosion was heard nearly 30 miles (48km) away in Trappe, Pennsylvania. Vice Admiral Richard Howe, brother of William, recruited John Montresor to assist British intelligence with his knowledge about the forts layout. The historical grounds of Fort Mifflin will be transformed this weekend by transfixing visual projections and captivating kick drums, as the landmark hosts the second annual Making Time . No chance. A defender wrote that men were, "split like fish to be broiled". It reads: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. [24] A force of 200 British Grenadiers waited to make an amphibious assault on Mud Island when the fort's artillery fire was suppressed. [12][13] He also appointed Thomas Jefferson as a minister to France on May 7, 1784, and he appointed his former aide, Colonel Josiah Harmar, to be the commander of the First American Regiment. Two British warships which had run aground near Mud Island were destroyed the next day. a Creative At the beginning of the bombardment, Fort Mifflins commander, Colonel Samuel Smith of Maryland, was urged by Washington to hold the fort to the last extremity. Cannonballs rained over the fort and the American soldiers inside it. The fort sat unfinished for several years until the Continental Army acquired and completed the project in 1776. He served two terms in the Continental Congress (17741775 and 17821784), including seven months (November 1783 to June 1784) as that body's presiding officer. Join us online July 24-26! Attraction Fort Mifflin The fort that withstood the greatest bombardment of the American Revolution. The large mound behind the Blacksmith Shop is the Powder Magazine (c. 1867). 1 (Apr., 1887), pp. Complicating matters for Howe was Fort Mercer, located across the river in Red Bank, New Jersey. Although Fort Mifflin is most prominently known for its delay of the British Navy on the Delaware in the Revolutionary War, it has also served as a garrison in the War of 1812, a Confederate prison during the Civil War, and an ammunition depot in the first and second World Wars. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Thomas Mifflin (1800).[19]. The Hessians sustained high casualties on October 22 when they attempted seize Fort Mercer in a direct assault. Many people have heard and claimed to see The Screaming Lady Elizabeth Pratt and The Man Without a Face William Howe. The torpedoes were launched from a small pool in the casemate floor and channeled out through a tunnel under the ramparts towards targets in the Delaware River. Before the Revolution, the fort held a garrison of two hundred men commanded by Colonel Samuel Smith. Commons Attribution 4.0 license. The Hessians lost a high proportion of officers, including Donop who was mortally wounded. No casualties were suffered by the Americans but large parts of the palisades on the western side of the island were wrecked. He married a second cousin, Sarah Morris, on March 4, 1767. unfiltered, opinionated, and certainly do not care if you like it or not. Nearby was a two-story building to accommodate officers. Her daughter fell in love with an enlisted man, causing her husband to disown her daughter and never reconcile with her. From that town on the Delaware, the Americans marched northeast through Darby to cross the Schuylkill River at the Middle Ferry. To set the scene. After General Sir William Howe's British-Hessian army occupied Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 26, 1777, it became necessary to supply his troops. No one even knew it was missing in the first place and you found out weeks later with zero evidence. Despite a long and rich history as Philadelphias, and the nations, protector, Fort Mifflin remains one of the largely unknown and unacknowledged military sites in the United States. HMSIsis (50) worked its way alongside the stranded Augusta in a rescue attempt. Today, it has been restored to its 1834 appearance and is open to the public from Wednesday through Sunday, year round. Since the nations capital had moved from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. the year before, officials no longer saw the importance of Fort Mifflin. British accounts claimed that American gunnery did only slight damage but that flaming wads from the ships' guns caused Augusta to catch fire. Fort Mercer was abandoned soon afterward, opening the Delaware and permitting the British to hold Philadelphia until June 1778. [42] Favored by a high tide, Vigilant worked its way into the shallow channel between Mud Island and the north bank at 8:00 AM on November 15. Philadelphia,PA|Sep 26-Nov 16, 1777. He was a signatory to the Continental Association and the Constitution. [43][44] Out in the main channel, HMSSomerset (70), Isis, Roebuck, and Pearl added the weight of their broadsides from a greater distance. On August 31, he authorized the arrests of one hundred citizens on the suspicion of treason after the investigation turned up no evidence of an armed conspiracy. What happened here may well have changed American history. Captains Jacob Fisher and William Mitchell commanded the fort with 65 regular artillerists and several units of infantry. Although the U.S. Army abandoned the fort in 1853, the U.S. Navy began using it for the storage of cannon shells and gun powder two years later. Ill be the guy in a Continental Army uniform ready to blast some balls. The county is drained by the Juniata River and by Kishacoquillas and Jacks creeks; Honey Creek runs through Reeds Gap State Park. Fort Mifflin held Confederate soldiers captured at the Battle of Gettysburg, Union draft dodgers, and Union military criminals. This paranormal activity has caused shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters Academy to visit the fort and investigate the sightings. Outside the Main Gate are the remnants of the Water Battery, which at one point contained eight 18-pound guns facing the river. Everyone in the world wants to fire a cannon. Mifflin later served as a delegate to the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787. After the death of her daughter due to typhoid fever, Elizabeth Pratt hanged herself from the balcony. Many people have heard a Screaming Lady around the Officers Quarters. Mifflin's most important duty as president was to accept on behalf of Congress the resignation of General George Washington on December 23, 1783. Karen Schwentner, Web Developer/Editor [16] On the 11th, Hazelwood and Smith launched a joint attack by row galleys on the working parties. Montresor developed an elaborate plan that would retain "32 pieces of cannon, 4 mortars and 4 royal howitzerswhich at 6 men each make 240 men required, 160 musketry, in all 400 garrison" at an estimated cost of 40,000. Of the four hundred Continentals who defended the fort, 250 were listed as casualties. Hamilton believed that Fort Mifflin was the most strategic military base and pushed for development, no matter the cost. Fort Mifflin was a Patriot stronghold that defended the Delaware River during the early years of the Revolutionary War. Every purchase supports the mission. Join us on Monday, April 10th as we welcome Elizabeth Beatty, executive director of the National Historic Landmark Fort Mifflin. The fort remained abandoned after the wars end, until Congress granted more than $70,000 dollars between 1835 and 1839 for repairs. Didnt think so. Less than a month later Fort Mercer was also abandoned, permitting the British vital access to the Delaware River. Along with the Naval attack came a British Army assault with artillery guns from Providence and Carpenters islands, just five hundred yards away. Several British ships were also claimed as casualties of war. With unusually heavy rains flooding the back channel, two British ships were able to sail up the channel and bombard the forts only unfinished walls at point-blank range. The concentration of highly-volatile explosives so close to the city made the fort an ever-present menace and prompted widespread fear. Our lectures have proved to be very popular and we strongly recommend that youbook your seat now. Fort Mifflin, located on "Mud Island" in the Delaware River just south of Philadelphia, is a historic landmark that attracts thousands of school groups, history buffs, and curious tourists each year. The Siege of Fort Mifflin (September 26 November 6, 1777). Howe, hung as a deserter at Fort Mifflin during the Civil War, has been reported to be seen, with no face, sewing in casement 5. Through the years, there have been numerous accounts of anomalous events associated with the area around Fort Mifflin. Both Allied and Axis soldiers were portrayed by the 75 reenactors who put on the event. By November 14, the British had planted two additional batteries containing four 32-pounder guns and six 24-pounder guns, which added to the furious daily bombardment. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He then presided over the committee that wrote Pennsylvania's state constitution, becoming the state's first governor after the constitution's ratification in 1790. [54] The Delaware was now open to the Royal Navy and the army of occupation in Philadelphia could be supplied. Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, Inc. (Stock Symbol DMI) is a fictional paper company in the television series The Office. Nearly 100 spectators took in scenes of attempted prison breaks and interrogations led by soldiers dressed in . Fort Mifflins contributions to the trajectory of American history are too significant to be overlooked. It had to be removed from this box and then removed down from the top of the wall, said Beatty. The fort offers daily weapons demonstrations and still has 14 authentic restored buildings, which include casemates, the Northeast Bastion, the arsenal, various batteries, soldiers barracks, officers quarters, and a blacksmith shop. Later that day as Smith was in the barracks, a cannonball smashed through the chimney and struck him in the left hip. The garrison, with scarce anything to cover them but their bravery, survived in the midst of the mud, shot & shells, and were obliged to give up more to the powers of time & gunpowder than to military superiority., Thomas Paine, on the defense of Fort Mifflin. Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! Legend has it that her spirit still walks the fort mourning the loss of her children. High tide came that evening, but contrary winds prevented sufficient depth for the ships to be freed. And if that had not happened, the . 11 min read Fort Mifflin: The Fort that Saved America Tucked away from the sprawl of Philadelphia International Airport stands one of the most significant forts in American history. This was one of the largest bombardments of the war and a pivotal moment in the American Revolution. Hell, I want to the fire the cannon. Copyright 2023 The Pennsylvania State University. Construction stopped after the south side wall was finished in 1773. On September 23, with Philadelphia about to be captured, Washington sent Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Smith of the 4th Maryland Regiment with a detachment of Continentals into the fort on Mud Island. All rights reserved. After five days, the American position had become untenable, and the fort was abandoned during the night of November 15. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It is said that visitors of the fort still hear Elizabeths desperate screaming at night in the officer quarters. That afternoon, a chunk of wood from the smashed barracks struck down artillery Captain James Lee and knocked Fleury unconscious. He served as speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1785 to 1787 and as president of Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council from 1788 to 1790. To avoid disappointment, please call before your visit during this time. Author Tom Paine, of Common Sense fame, who was on the road between Germantown and Whitemarsh, wrote to Ben Franklin that the sound was like the peal of a hundred cannon at once. The Augusta was the largest ship ever lost by the British to the Americans in two wars. Though well-defended, the fort saw no action during the war as the British did not attempt to invade Philadelphia by way of the Delaware River. On November 15, the British fleet aimed over 220 cannons at the fort and unleashed continuous volleys at the Continentals. They kept the forts flag flying, signaling to the British that although they were defeated, they would never surrender. He was executed at Fort Mifflin on August 26, 1864. Fort Mercer was part of the system of the Delaware River forts. The exact moment at which Mud Island Fort became Fort Mifflin is a bit murky (it wasn't officially renamed until 1795), but it seems as though the name change happened, at least in the minds of those defending it, at the start of the Revolutionary War. While the Officers Quarters arent currently accessible, the Soldiers Barracks are and display various exhibits detailing the Siege of Fort Mifflin and the forts evolution over time. During the first hour of battle, over 1,000 cannonballs were fired at Mud Island and an estimated 10,000 projectiles were launched throughout the entire day.