Hot-blooded “Mad Anthony” Wayne: Hero of the American Revolution

History has its share of colorful figures, so it may come as little surprise that one person we might consider celebrating this Fourth of July is named.

Wayne is included among little known Revolutionary War heroes in a list compiled by History.com.

Wayne’s reputation for heroism came after George Washington ordered him to storm the cliffside fortifications (considered impregnable) held by the British at Stony Point, New York, in July of 1779. The nighttime assault, during which Wayne’s men used only bayonets, lasted just 30 minutes and served as a huge morale-booster for the Americans.

Origins of his nickname:

Wayne’s nickname is largely considered a result of his boldness and daring in the field, though some stories also report that it came about from a sometime-spy he used, Jemmy the Wanderer (who had a penchant for taking off at will). As the story goes, the erratic Jemmy was jailed — not the first time — and demanded to be set free, sending a messenger to Wayne to ask him to intervene.

When Wayne refused, Jemmy allegedly claimed Wayne was mad and called him “Mad Anthony.” The story spread and the nickname stuck.

Later, in 1780, Anthony helped safeguard West Point when it was learned that Benedict Arnold planned to betray the Americans. In 1790 he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives.

Does his ghost walk on New Year?

Wayne died December 15, 1796 in Fort De La Presqu’ Ile, Erie, PA. He was buried there in a simple pine box. But the story didn’t end there.

Twelve years later, his son Isaac arrived to take his bones back to the family burial plot at St. David’s Church, Radnor, PA. But Wayne’s body had not decomposed. Isaac had only a small carriage and could not transport a coffin. So, a physician helped render Wayne’s body to bones in a common process that was extremely distasteful to everyone. When finished, the physician threw the remaining flesh and his instruments back into the coffin and closed the grave.

Isaac drove the bones 380 miles, but, along the way, the bone box supposedly fell off, scattering some of the contents.

Now, legend has it, on New Year, Wayne’s ghost rises from Radnor and rides across the state searching for his missing bones.