Fort Muncy is located about half a mile above Hall's station, immediately on
the P. & E. R. R., and about four miles from Muncy, and was built by Col. Thomas
Hartley in 1778, at the urgent solicitation of Samuel Wallis, Esq., who had
erected a stone mansion here in 1769. It stood a few hundred yards in front of
the famous Hall's house of 1769. It was designed to be the most important
stronghold next to Augusta, and was situated midway between that place and the
farthest settlement up the river; it was a rising piece of ground at the foot of
which was a fine spring of water, a large elm tree now hangs over the spring. A
covered way led from the fort to this natural fountain as a protection to those
who went there for water. When the extension of the Philadelphia and Reading
railroad was built to Williamsport, the elevation on which the fort stood was
cut through. The excavation is quite deep and passengers cannot fail to notice
it on account of the view of the Hall residence on the left being suddenly shut
off as the train dashes into the cut (in going up). Col. Hartley informs us that
the bastions of the fort were built of fascines and clay and the curtains were
protected by the stockades in which quarters for the garrison were placed. -
(Maginnass' Otzinachson, pages 484-5.)
One would understand from the many accounts that Fort Muncy had been destroyed
twice. In the Pennsylvania Archives, (Vol. xii, appendix, p. 418.) "The convoy
arrived safely at Sunbury, leaving the entire line of farms along the West
branch to the ravages of the Indians. They destroyed Fort Muncy, but did not
penetrate Sunbury." Shortly after the big runaway Col. Brodhead was ordered up
with his force of 100 or 150 men to rebuild Fort Muncy and guard the settlers
while gathering their crops. After performing this service he left for Fort Pitt
and Colonel Hartley, with a battalion succeeded him in 1778. Col. Ludwig
Weltner, December 13th, 1779. I found Fort Muncy and Fort Jenkins, on the East
branch, and with the magazine at Sunbury, to have been the only posts that were
standing when he was ordered here from Wyoming.
"Col. Hunter, whom I consulted, was of the same opinion, the only difficulty was
to fix on some place equally well adapted to cover the Frontier, as Fort Muncy
was; Fort Muncy having been evacuated and destroyed." So Fort Muncy appears to
have been destroyed the second time, as Lieut. Moses Van Campen, of Capt.
Robinson's Rangers says, in the latter part of March, just at the opening of the
campaign of 1782, the companies that had been stationed during the winter at
Reading were ordered back by Congress to their respective stations; Lieut. Van
Campen marched at the head of Capt. Robinson's company to Northumberland, where
he was joined by Mr. Thomas Chambers, who had been recently commissioned ensign
of the same company. Here he halted for a few days to allow his men rest, after
which he was directed to march to a place called Muncy, and there rebuild a
fort, which had been destroyed by the Indians in the year '79. Having reached
his station, he threw up a small blockhouse in which he placed his stores and
immediately commenced rebuilding the fort, being joined shortly after by Capt.
Robinson in company with several gentlemen, among whom was a Mr. Culbertson, who
was anxious to find an escort up the West Branch of the Susquehanna into the
neighborhood of Bald Eagle creek. Here his brother had been killed by the
Indians, and being informed that some of his party had been buried and had thus
escaped the violence of the enemy, he was desirous of making search to obtain
it. Arrangements were made for Van Campen to go with him at the head of a small
party of men as a guard, Lieut. Van Campen was captured while on this expedition
and taken to Canada, where he remained some time, so we get no further
information from him in regard to this rebuilding of Fort Muncy for the third
time. Fort Muncy, if properly garrisoned, was an important position for the
defense of the valley below it; here was a good place from which to support
scouting parties, west and north, and from which passes of the Muncy hills to
the eastward could be covered by strong scouting parties, but the country lacked
men, and means to support them at this critical time. Near the site of Fort
Muncy is the Indian Mound described by Mr. Gernerd in his "Now and Then,'' and
near the Hall's station is the grave of Capt. John Brady, with his faithful old
soldier comrade, John Lebo, buried by his side. The spring still defines the
location of the fort.
Notes About Book:
Source: The Frontier Forts Within The North and West Branches of the Susquehanna
River Pennsylvania, BY Captain John M. Buckalew, Read Before The Wyoming
Historical And Geological, Society, October 1, 1895. Reprinted From The State
Report, 1896. E. B. Yoruy, Printer, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Notes about Online Publication: This manuscript has been ocr'd and heavily
edited. Many of the Native American words have been reproduced as clearly as
online publication will allow us, but not all are exactly the way they were in
the original work. The structure of this manuscript has been changed to allow
better online presentation.