General "Mad" Anthony Wayne
On New Year’s Day, 1745, General Anthony Wayne was born. He was a military leader and a great one at that, but he didn’t know that was going to happen to him when he signed up for the continental army. He didn’t even have a bit of military experience.
-The American Revolution-
He was sent to aid Benedict Arnold where he commanded a successful rear-guard action at the Battle of Trois-Rivieres. His service resulted in being promoted to brigadier general on February 21, 1777.
Later he commanded the Pennsylvania Line at Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown.
After a winter at Valley Forge, he led the American attack at the Battle of Monmouth. During this battle, Wayne’s forces were pinned down by a numerically superior British force. He held out until reinforcements were sent by Washington.
The highlight of his revolutionary military career was his victory at Stony Point. In July 1779, Washington named Wayne to command the Corps of Light Infantry. On July 16, 1779, Wayne stormed British forces at Stony Point and congress awarded him with a metal for the victory.
He was promoted to Major General on October 10, 1783.
-Post War-
After the war he returned to Pennsylvania and served in the state legislature for a year in 1784. He was a delegate to the state convention that ratified the Us Constitution.
Washington recalled upon Wayne to lead an expedition in the Northwest Indian War. He was in command of a new military force called “The Legion of the United States.” He started a training facility to prepare the soldiers.
He was dispatched to Fort recovery in Ohio and on August 3 a tree fell on his tent. He survived but was unconscious. He was up and marching the next day.
On August 20, 1794, he fought in The Battle of Fallen Timbers, ending the war. On August 3, 1795, he signed the Treaty of Greenville.
He died of complications from gout, a medical condition of reoccurring arthritis, on December 15, 1796 during a return trip to Pennsylvania from Detroit.
He was buried at Fort Presque Isle now Erie Pennsylvania. His body was later dug up and the body boiled to remove remaining flesh. The bones were put into saddle bags and moved to his family plot at St. David’s Episcopal Church cemetery in Radnor Pennsylvania.
A legend says that many bones were lost along the way of modern day U.S. Route 322. They say that on Wayne’s Birthday (January 1) his ghost wonders the highway, searching for his lost bones.
-The American Revolution-
He was sent to aid Benedict Arnold where he commanded a successful rear-guard action at the Battle of Trois-Rivieres. His service resulted in being promoted to brigadier general on February 21, 1777.
Later he commanded the Pennsylvania Line at Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown.
After a winter at Valley Forge, he led the American attack at the Battle of Monmouth. During this battle, Wayne’s forces were pinned down by a numerically superior British force. He held out until reinforcements were sent by Washington.
The highlight of his revolutionary military career was his victory at Stony Point. In July 1779, Washington named Wayne to command the Corps of Light Infantry. On July 16, 1779, Wayne stormed British forces at Stony Point and congress awarded him with a metal for the victory.
He was promoted to Major General on October 10, 1783.
-Post War-
After the war he returned to Pennsylvania and served in the state legislature for a year in 1784. He was a delegate to the state convention that ratified the Us Constitution.
Washington recalled upon Wayne to lead an expedition in the Northwest Indian War. He was in command of a new military force called “The Legion of the United States.” He started a training facility to prepare the soldiers.
He was dispatched to Fort recovery in Ohio and on August 3 a tree fell on his tent. He survived but was unconscious. He was up and marching the next day.
On August 20, 1794, he fought in The Battle of Fallen Timbers, ending the war. On August 3, 1795, he signed the Treaty of Greenville.
He died of complications from gout, a medical condition of reoccurring arthritis, on December 15, 1796 during a return trip to Pennsylvania from Detroit.
He was buried at Fort Presque Isle now Erie Pennsylvania. His body was later dug up and the body boiled to remove remaining flesh. The bones were put into saddle bags and moved to his family plot at St. David’s Episcopal Church cemetery in Radnor Pennsylvania.
A legend says that many bones were lost along the way of modern day U.S. Route 322. They say that on Wayne’s Birthday (January 1) his ghost wonders the highway, searching for his lost bones.
