Fort Muncy

Fort Muncy Was located on the farm of Samuel Wallis - a British Spy.  Although the fact that he was a spy, working with Benedict Arnold, was not revealed until 1946, when the British Archives made the Henry Clinton papers public.

Two hundreds yards south of this spot stood the provincial

Fort Muncy

Destroyed 1778

During the Big Runaway

Rebuilt Same Year By Authority 

of the Province Of Penna.

Destroyed 1779

During Second Runaway

Rebuilt 1782

"The building of Fort Muncy having been decided upon, Captain Andrew Walker was directed to take his company to that Point and erect the fortification at the earliest possible moment. The site selected was on a knoll a short distance from the Wallis mansion at a point where the cut of the Reading Railroad above where Halls Station is now located.

Work on the fort was begun about the first of August, 1778 and so rapidly was it pushed that by the first of September it was practically completed and ready for occupancy. Colonel Hartley was warm in his praise of Captain Walker and his men and in a letter to the supreme executive council said that he had never seen so much work done in so short a time.

The exact dimensions of Fort Muncy are not known, but it occupied considerable ground. It consisted of bastions made of fascines and clay, and curtains of stockades, twelve feet high. It contained officers' quarters, storehouse and powder magazine and was mounted with one four pound iron cannon and three swivel guns. A covered walk at the rear, or on the side toward the river, led to a never-failing spring of water. That it could accommodate 150 to 200 men is attested by the fact that Colonel Hartley had that many quartered there at the time he started on his expedition to Tioga Point.

Fort Muncy was used as a place of refuge by the inhabitants of Muncy Valley on more than one occasion. It was the most important fortification in Central Pennsylvania north of Fort Augusta and the only one erected on either the North or West Branches of the Susquehanna River by authority of the province."   - History Of Lycoming County by Lloyd

The Original Monument

MOUNTAIN BOULDER TO BE DEDICATED AT EARLY OUTPOST

 Fort Built in 1778 Destroyed by Indians; Exercises in Spring 

Williamsportt, Dec. 9. [1924] One of the most Important historical spots Lycoming county, the site of Fort Muncy, near Halls Station, Is to marked next spring by the Lycoming County Historical Society, in con Junction with the Pennsylvania Historical Commission. It is planned to erect a big mountain boulder, bearing un appropriately Inscribed bronze plate. It probable that this marker will not be placed at the exact site of the fort, but a couple of hundred feet from it, directly on the Susquehanna Trail. 

Fort Muncy was located a short distance this side of Halls. Hundreds of persons drive past the spot every day and frequently thousands of persons traveling over the Susquehunna Trail go speeding by. Most of them do not. know that Fort Muncy existed and few of those who know this can tell where the fort was. When the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad was built a deep cut was made near the Wallis mansion and this cut passed through the south bastion of 'the fort, so that the railroad right of way at this point occupies part of the site of the pioneer fortification.

 Little Evidence Exists It is generally believed that all traces of the fort have disappeared. One historian is authority for the statement that a tenant farmer employed by Coleman Hall, a former owner of the property, thinking that he was doing something which would please his employer, removed a pile of stones which was the last visage of the fortification.

 Dr. T. Kenneth Wood, of Muncy, a student of historical affairs, says, however, that one important feature of the fort may still be seen. This is the covered passageway which led from the fort to a spring on the slope to the south of the enclosure, from which was obtained the water supply. This passageway, it seems, was a ditch cut in the red shale rock, and then roofed over. 

When the railroad cut was made this spring was destroyed, but it made its way to the surface just north of the railroad and still provides ' a supply of water which is used by trackhands on the Reading. 

While Fort Muncy was one of the fortifications which was authorized by the government, there apparently exists - no plan of it.  Such as Is the case with many of the other pioneer forts, and it is not known just what nature of fort it was. From such fragmentary ' descriptions as have been found it appears to have consisted of earthworks and log stockades. 

Built In 1778 The fort was originally built in 1778. at the urgent request of Samuel Wallis, the "Land King," who came from Philadelphia and in 1869 built the stone mansion which is still standing near Hall's Station, and which was later owned by the Halls and is now the property of Mrs. H. C. Brock, of Philadelphia.

 It was during the stirring days of the Revolutionary War that the fort was built. While what is now Lycoming county was then part of the far frontier of the American colonies, there were Incidents here which were directly concerned with the Revolutionary War. The Eastern seaboard was the scene of such stirring scenes that the tribulations of the pioneers in, the outposts of civilization has been overlooked by many historians. 

Hordes of ' Indians were molesting the settlers and their condition was precarious. They desired fortifications for their protection. Colonel Thomas Hartley built Fort Muncy, which was designed to be the strongest fortification ' up the river from Fort Augusta, an important stronghold at what is now Sun - bury. There were other forts up the river, including Fort Antes and a fort at the Great Island, near Lock Haven.

 These forts were built by the settlers and were not placed at the direction of the government. Captain John Brady also had a fort a couple of miles east of Fort Muncy. 

Destroyed By Indians The same year that the fort was completed there occurred one of the most important events in the history of the West Branch Valley, when the Indians, sweeping down the river, forced all the settlers to abandon their outposts and seek refuge at Fort Augusta. The valley was virtually bared of all signs of civilization. Buildings were destroyed by the torch. The Wallis mansion was burned, and Fort Muncy was destroyed. It was rebuilt when the settlers came back into the valley and was again destroyed in 1782, according to historical records

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Stories & History Of Muncy PA

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/03/muncy-pennsylvania.html

For More Stories and History From Surrounding Towns:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html

1924

“Fort Muncy” aka “the fort at Wallis’” aka “Muncy Farms”

Celebrating 250 Years of Muncy Farms

(1769 – 2019)

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Noon to 6 pm, rain or shine

Parking at Lycoming Mall – Follow signs to free trolley shuttle service

Benjamin Johnson has completed his 2019 Eagle Scout Project -- just in time for its formal dedication on September 21st … for the Muncy Farm’s event opening ceremonies. Benjamin is with Muncy Troop #25 and his finished end-product is beyond expectations.

Please join us for the opening ceremony where the proprietors of Muncy Farms will share their appreciation of Benjamin’s leadership role in re-positioning the 1928 bronze-on-stone monument safely off Old Route 220 rights-of-way. After a vehicle accident along the highway, the monument was moved to a secure area many years ago and is now more appropriately positioned.

At 12:15 p.m. Bill Poulton, executive director of the Muncy Historical Society, will open the day’s ceremonies with a few comments at the dedication site. Muncy’s Marching Indians will then lead the procession over the 1843 iron bridge following the dedication. As a fundraiser, Muncy Music Association members will be set-up on the other side of this historic bridge and will have picnic fare available.

Prior to the “Big Runaway” of July 1778 the “first” Fort Muncy was in existence although no record has surface describing the type of structure – stockade or blockhouse or other. It is possible that this fort was burnt by the Indians during the Big Runaway or could it have been burnt by men in Wallis’ employ?

During the first week of August 1778 Colonel Thomas Hartley laid out the “second” Fort Muncy on Wallis’ property. Its location was strategically important – located on the bend of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River close to the southern apex of Iroquois Indian trails. The fort was garrisoned at this point and military expeditions against the Iroquois towns began with just 200 men. Captains John Brady and Hawkins Boone fought in these skirmishes into the northern tier.

In the late spring 1779, and leaving only militia behind, Hartley’s Continental troops were removed from Fort Muncy and joined General John Sullivan’s campaign. A raiding party of 120 Iroquois and 50 British rangers entered the West Branch Valley and made their way to Fort Freeland on July 28. About this time, the second Fort Muncy was burnt.

In late March 1782, Captain Thomas Robinson sent his lieutenant, Moses Van Campen, and men from his company of Robinson’s Rangers to build the “third” Fort Muncy.

Let us remember! Fort Muncy, an alleged isolated frontier fort, was interconnected with overall British war strategy, and with colonial strategy for frontier defense which ultimately lead to the creation of the United States.