Who was that Mad Man?
As a boy learning about the American Revolution, I was thoroughly amused that a general would have the name "Mad" Anthony Wayne. I wondered who was that mad man? I wondered what he was so mad about. Any study of the American War for Independence should address this colorful Pennsylvanian who captured the imagination of his times and down through the ages.
Scion of a Scots-Irish Military Family
Anthony Wayne was born on 1 January 1745 to Isaac Wayne and Elizabeth Iddings Wayne in Easttown Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Isaac Wayne was born in Ireland, the son of a military officer, Captain Anthony Wayne, who immigrated to America with his Dutch wife, Hannah. Their son Isaac became a tanner, establishing one of the most prominent businesses in Pennsylvania, and eventually took over the family estate, Waynesboro, from the aging captain. Young Anthony Wayne was well-schooled, attending the Philadelphia Academy and the College of Philadelphia.. Like George Washington, Wayne did a stint as a surveyor. In his case up in Nova Scotia. He returned to Pennsylvania in 1766, where he continued surveying and worked in Isaac's tannery. He also married Mary Penrose who would bear him two children, Margretta and Isaac. Just as the politics of friction with Great Britain were heating up, young Anthony got involved in the American cause. Like many up and coming men of means, he turned to public service. Wayne served in the Pennsylvania legislature in 1774 and the following year he raised a militia regiment in Chester County. In January 1776, he received a commission as colonel of the 4th Pennsylvania Continental Line. Things were about to get interesting for Anthony and for the war.
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| Wayne's Home in Waynesboro |
A Mad Campaigner in a Mad Campaign
It was in the capacity of colonel of the 4th Pennsylvania that Wayne headed north to join General John Sullivan's division in the quixotic and ill-fated invasion of Canada. In his first action, Wayne fought bravely but unsuccessfully against superior forces at the battle of Trois Rivieres in June 1776. The campaign soon collapsed but Wayne distinguished himself with his leadership in covering the army's retreat into New York. He then took command of Fort Ticonderoga, the key defense point on the New York northern frontier. An approving Congress promoted him to Brigadier General in February 1777. Not long after, he was summoned south to join General George Washington and the main Continental Army where he received command of a brigade of Pennsylvanians.
Wayne was a colorful and irreverent leader that seemed to set the stage for such later military notables as George Custer and George Patton. He used profanities to great effect, often to the amusement of his troops. Like Patton, he understood that troops should look good and that military pride followed a good appearance. As with Custer and Patton, he was a sharp dresser and always turned out immaculately. His braggadocio added to the legend, making him the talk of not just the troops but his fellow officers. And like Custer and Patton, Wayne backed all of this up with stirring performances in combat.
His actions at the Battle of Brandywine on 11 September 1777 provide an example. His division was positioned to cover Chadd's Ford, where the British commander Lord Howe decided to send a powerful force of Hessians to launch a frontal assault on the Americans. Wayne's command withstood fierce attacks by the Hessians under General von Knyphausen until his division, along with Nathanael Greene's, was forced to withdraw.
Although Washington was beaten, he managed to extricate his army and maintain it as a threat to the slowly advancing British. When the Americans abandoned Philadelphia, Washington sent Wayne to shadow the British army and threaten their lines of communication. Unfortunately, the British received intelligence that exposed Wayne's command. Wayne's encampment near the Paoli Tavern was overrun in a stealthy night attack by Major General Charles Grey on the evening of September 20th. Grey received the nickname "No Flint" because he ordered his men to remove them to avoid the accidental discharge that could spoil his surprise: cold steel for the rebels. Later, claims were made that the British took no prisoners and granted no quarter, and the engagement became known as the "Paoli Massacre." The massacre sullied Wayne's name somewhat. Undaunted, he led his men in the fog-shrouded fields near Germantown, Pennsylvania on October 4, 1777. With typical audacity, Wayne's command moved ahead of other Continental brigades and drove on the retreating British with the bayonet. But Wayne and his old commander, General John Sullivan (also known to be headstrong and impetuous) advanced too quickly. Both were cut off some two miles ahead of other Continental regiments. When the British recovered from their initial surprise their defenses stiffened. When Washington finally ordered a retreat he once more tapped Wayne to provide the rear guard. Not long after, the Continental Army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge.
The harsh winter at Valley Forge had a plus side. A new American army was born, trained, and drilled to fight European style by the German General Von Steuben. The new army would get its chance to prove itself the following summer and Wayne would be once again in the mix. The British relieved Lord Howe from command and replaced him with Sir Henry Clinton, who decided to abandon Philadelphia and concentrate force once more around New York City. In June 1778, Clinton ordered half his force to sail north. But a sizable column marched across the Jerseys towards their new base of operations. Wayne was called upon to lead the advance guard at Monmouth Court House, New Jersey. Once more thrust into a controversial engagement, Wayne's forces were abandoned by Major General Charles Lee. His men were soon pinned down by superior British forces, the rearguard that struck back at the pursuing Americans. Showing determination and resourcefulness under fire, Wayne held his ground until reinforcements sent by Washington arrived. Wayne reformed his troops and continued to fight.
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| Anthony Wayne |
A Colorful Character
Wayne was a colorful and irreverent leader that seemed to set the stage for such later military notables as George Custer and George Patton. He used profanities to great effect, often to the amusement of his troops. Like Patton, he understood that troops should look good and that military pride followed a good appearance. As with Custer and Patton, he was a sharp dresser and always turned out immaculately. His braggadocio added to the legend, making him the talk of not just the troops but his fellow officers. And like Custer and Patton, Wayne backed all of this up with stirring performances in combat.
His actions at the Battle of Brandywine on 11 September 1777 provide an example. His division was positioned to cover Chadd's Ford, where the British commander Lord Howe decided to send a powerful force of Hessians to launch a frontal assault on the Americans. Wayne's command withstood fierce attacks by the Hessians under General von Knyphausen until his division, along with Nathanael Greene's, was forced to withdraw.
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| Holding the line at Brandywine |
Although Washington was beaten, he managed to extricate his army and maintain it as a threat to the slowly advancing British. When the Americans abandoned Philadelphia, Washington sent Wayne to shadow the British army and threaten their lines of communication. Unfortunately, the British received intelligence that exposed Wayne's command. Wayne's encampment near the Paoli Tavern was overrun in a stealthy night attack by Major General Charles Grey on the evening of September 20th. Grey received the nickname "No Flint" because he ordered his men to remove them to avoid the accidental discharge that could spoil his surprise: cold steel for the rebels. Later, claims were made that the British took no prisoners and granted no quarter, and the engagement became known as the "Paoli Massacre." The massacre sullied Wayne's name somewhat. Undaunted, he led his men in the fog-shrouded fields near Germantown, Pennsylvania on October 4, 1777. With typical audacity, Wayne's command moved ahead of other Continental brigades and drove on the retreating British with the bayonet. But Wayne and his old commander, General John Sullivan (also known to be headstrong and impetuous) advanced too quickly. Both were cut off some two miles ahead of other Continental regiments. When the British recovered from their initial surprise their defenses stiffened. When Washington finally ordered a retreat he once more tapped Wayne to provide the rear guard. Not long after, the Continental Army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge.
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| Despite the Paoli Massacre Wayne held in high regard |
The harsh winter at Valley Forge had a plus side. A new American army was born, trained, and drilled to fight European style by the German General Von Steuben. The new army would get its chance to prove itself the following summer and Wayne would be once again in the mix. The British relieved Lord Howe from command and replaced him with Sir Henry Clinton, who decided to abandon Philadelphia and concentrate force once more around New York City. In June 1778, Clinton ordered half his force to sail north. But a sizable column marched across the Jerseys towards their new base of operations. Wayne was called upon to lead the advance guard at Monmouth Court House, New Jersey. Once more thrust into a controversial engagement, Wayne's forces were abandoned by Major General Charles Lee. His men were soon pinned down by superior British forces, the rearguard that struck back at the pursuing Americans. Showing determination and resourcefulness under fire, Wayne held his ground until reinforcements sent by Washington arrived. Wayne reformed his troops and continued to fight.
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| American attack at Monmouth |
Light Anthony
By the spring of 1779, Washington's Army was oriented on the main British garrison in New York. The British attempted to draw Washington into a decisive battle. Awaiting the long-expected French support, Washington entered into a cat and mouse game. In May 1779, Sir Henry Clinton, the British Commander in Chief launched the first phase of a complex strategic plan to destroy Washington's army. Using their superior naval forces the British made an incursion up the North (Hudson) River and seized the critical position at Stony Point, some 10 miles south of West Point and 35 miles north of the city. This was the opening gambit to lure Washington out of the Hudson Highlands. Clinton then dispatched an expedition to Connecticut, leaving a reinforced regiment with fifteen guns to defend the earthworks around Stony Point. Washington observed the British defenses and decided to take them by force. To storm the position, the Corps of Light Infantry was formed on June 12, 1779. There was never a question as to who to assign command of the unit or the mission: Anthony Wayne. The Corps of Light Infantry was an elite unit, put together for each campaign between 1777 and 1781. Its men were drawn from the light infantry companies of each regiment in Washington's army. In 1779 the Corps consisted of a brigade of four regiments, each composed of two battalions of four companies. At midnight on 16 July the attack commenced in three columns with Wayne personally leading one. In a tactic that was used successfully against him at Paoli, Wayne had his men move with unloaded muskets - they would storm the defenses with the bayonet. Wayne's column came under musket fire and he fell wounded. Wayne's men continued the attack and quickly overran the British defenders. They took over 500 prisoners and suffered only 100 casualties. The victory was critical for the morale of the American Army and the cause, which had suffered a series of reverses. For his personal heroics and tactical success, Congress awarded Wayne a rare medal for the victory.
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| Stony Point was Wayne's most celebrated exploit |
Why so Mad?
I always had assumed Wayne was nicknamed "Mad" due to his heroics in combat, particularly for his exploits at Stony Point. But ironically, he did not receive his nickname for his reckless style of combat but from an incident at Morristown, New Jersey during winter quarters in 1781. The story goes that New Jersey law officers arrested an eccentric soldier known as “the Commodore” or “Jimmy the Drover,” for a local civil infraction. The soldier demanded Wayne’s intervention. But Wayne threatened to have the miscreant flogged instead. “Jimmy the Drover” reportedly responded “Anthony is mad! Farewell to you; clear the coast for the Commodore, ‘Mad Anthony’s’ friend.” Wayne’s Pennsylvanians really got a kick out of the story and decided that “Mad Anthony” described their commander pretty well. You have to admit that it’s not bad, as nicknames go.
Winning the War
In the spring of 1781, Wayne took his Pennsylvanians to Virginia and served under Lafayette in trying to thwart the British. On 6 July 1781, he fought with Lafayette at the Battle of Green Spring. His aggressive charge shocked the superior British forces, probably saving the Americans from destruction. Wayne then joined Washington to help defeat Cornwallis at Yorktown. The war did not end with Yorktown, however. So in 1782, Wayne was sent to Georgia to help dislodge the British forces there. Wayne broke the long standing British alliance with the Indian tribes in Georgia. With the waning of British power he was able to negotiate treaties with the two most powerful tribes, the Creek and the Cherokee. In a final tribute, Congress promoted him to major general on October 10, 1783. After the war Wayne returned to Pennsylvania. The noted war hero served in the Pennsylvania Assembly and became a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. But his post-war life would long be one of peace and tranquility as it was with so many of his peers.
Commander of the US Army
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| Wayne as Commander of the Legionof the United States |
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| Wayne's victory at Fallen Timbers was the new army's first post in #RevWar |
Upon his arrival, Mad Anthony energized the beaten Legion with his own brand of zealous leadership. At the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Wayne effectively ended Indian resistance when his seasoned force of 1,000 men routed the 2,000 warriors gathered for a final confrontation near Fort Miami on the Maumee River. This victory enabled Wayne to negotiate the Treaty of Greenville in August 1795. Under its terms, the Indians ceded most of Ohio and large sections of Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. This was not inevitable for many reasons (British machinations tried to keep the 13 states pinned along the Atlantic coast). Wayne's victory secured thousands of square miles of the disputed land for the United States, and had signed peace treaties with the Indian tribes. Mad Anthony Wayne successfully accomplished the mission for which President George Washington had called him back to active duty.
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| Treaty of Fort Greenville secured peace in the Northwest Territory paving the way for American expansion |
Untimely Death
His work in the northwest done, Wayne began the long journey home. He sailed from the region that is now Detroit on a sloop. After five days he made port at the site of the former French outpost at Fort Presqu'Isle, today's Erie, Pennsylvania. But while the weather was pleasant, his thoughts turned grim and he wrote a number of letters listing his final wishes. At Presque Isle, Wayne suffered a serious gout attack. Now anyone who has suffered gout knows that is reason enough to be mad. This was clearly a severe case with complications. Calls for doctors were rushed to Pittsburgh and the Army hospitals. Wayne's health worsened. He developed intense stomach pains. The doctors from the east arrived, but on the same day, 15 December 1796, "Mad" Anthony Wayne died. They buried him in a plain coffin, his initials, and date of death driven into the wood using round-headed brass tacks, at the foot of the blockhouse flagstaff on garrison hill.
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| Rebuilt blockhouse on Presque Isle |
A Strangely Eerie Homecoming
In 1808, Wayne's son Isaac returned to Presque Isle to take his father's remains back home.
Unfortunately, he did not have room for all the remains in his wagon, a small sulky. The doctor assisting him boiled the late hero's corpse. He threw the flesh and clothing back into the coffin a re-interred it. He then packed the bones for transport to the east. "Mad" Anthony Wayne's bones were interred in the family plot in St. David's Episcopal Church cemetery in Radnor, Pennsylvania. The bizarre end to the great warrior's earthly remains gave rise to legends of hauntings. One might say that while Anthony Wayne may have become enraged for little cause in life, he certainly reason for rage in death.
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| Wayne's 2d Gravesite Radnor, Penna. |
Very nice summary of one of the great heroes from our history! Thank you for the work you do..
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