"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men… [no] controls on government would be necessary." — James Madison

General “Mad” Anthony Wayne—The Man With Two Graves

General "Mad" Anthony Wayne earned his unique sobriquet for his bravery during the American Revolution. However, "mad" can also be used to describe the story of Wayne’s body after his death. A warning: the following article is bizarre, ghoulish, and highly entertaining.

On November 19, 1796, General Anthony Wayne arrived by boat at Presque Isle—now Erie—Pennsylvania, from Detroit. He was suffering from what had been described as "a severe fit of the gout,"1 and was taken to the quarters of the commander of the military post, Captain Russell Bissell, for medical treatment. Wayne asked that Dr. J.C. Wallace, stationed at Pittsburgh (some 100 miles away), be summoned. In the meantime, Wayne was attended by Dr. George Balfour, who wrote on December 10 that the general "dispairs [sic] of his recovery."2 The gout "reached his stomach" and caused Wayne to suffer in agony for several weeks.3 At 2 a.m. on December 15, 1796, at the age of 51, General Wayne died in the arms of Dr. Balfour. Dr. Wallace had not yet arrived. The general had requested that his burial take place two days after his death and that he be buried, wearing his uniform, in a plain wooden coffin at the foot of the flagstaff of the post’s blockhouse. The top of the coffin was marked in brass tacks with his initials, his age, and the year of his death.4

Within only a few years, the site of Wayne’s grave had greatly deteriorated. The military outpost was abandoned and no one maintained the grave. In 1807, a traveler wrote of his visit to the gravesite, saying:

"The fort and other works are now rapidly going to decay...Recollecting that the remains of that old worthy veteran General Anthony Wayne were interred at his particular request under the flag staff belonging to this fort, I was induced one morning to pay it a visit, expecting at least to f ind a decent if not a sumptuous monument erected to his deserved memory—but alas! how fleeting and short lived is the remembrance of those who have served us well? The hero was interred beneath this flag staff which, as if conscious of the honor committed to her charge impatiently waited for the sepulchral honors due from his Country—but alas! f inding him at length neglected and forgotten, the enclosure prostrate, and his grave polluted by unhallowed swine, she fell–—and in her fall embraced the hero, tomb and all!! The General’s grave had once been paled [fenced] in, but time had rotted and thrown down the principal part; I replaced the whole—and should it stand a year, or even a day, I feel well pleased with having done my duty. At the head of the grave stands a small misshapen flat stone; picked out of the rubbish of the fort, with A.W. the initials of the General’s name scratched with a nail! No Epitaph—The wretched space below was yet unoccupied—Could I depart and leave it still a blank? No, my friend, I could not; but with my penknife engraved in rude but legible characters: ‘shame on my country.’"5

In the fall of the following year, General Wayne’s daughter, Margaretta, suggested that her brother— Colonel Isaac Wayne—bring their father’s remains back to the family burial plot in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Isaac did not immediately act upon the request. Nine months later, Colonel Francis Johnston declared at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati that "the honourable but neglected remains of this once highly revered member of our Society [Anthony Wayne], now lie on the dreary, inhospitable beach of lake Erie" where "shameful to relate, this patriot and warriour [sic], hath not a "Hic jacet" [Latin, "here lies"] inscribed on a small stone, nor even a little memento, of any kind, erected to his glorious memory." Johnston urged that "a sufficient sum be immediately appropriated out of our own funds, ...in order to erect a plain, unornamented monument, as his own name thereon will be its richest ornament, to the memory of Major General Anthony Wayne, ...with a view of perpetuating his memory and our affection individually, as well as a society, for his patriotism, bravery, and distinguished services rendered to his country." The Society passed the resolution.6

Isaac Wayne now felt the pressure of not only his sister Margaretta, but also of the Society of the Cincinnati, to honor his father with a monument. Clearly, the Society would not want to place their monument at far-off Erie.

Isaac needed to determine if it was feasible to retrieve his father’s remains and rebury them in at St. David’s churchyard in Randor. Not wanting to exhume a body, especially that of his father, he corresponded with the eminent Dr. Benjamin Rush concerning the probable condition of his father’s remains. Dr. Rush replied that the body would have decomposed and that the remains could be "taken up... put in a box for their natural order..."7 Accordingly, Isaac had a "strong and ornamental case prepared" to hold the bones which would allow them to be transported across the state.8 In late September of 1809, Isaac embarked on his journey to Erie. For convenience he traveled alone in a sulky, or a lightweight cart with two wheels. Upon his arrival in Erie, he enlisted the services of Dr. Wallace, the same man who had been summoned at his father’s final illness, to handle the arrangements of disinterring the remains. Preferring to remember his father as he had been in life, Isaac did not attend the disinterment.9

What happened next can only be described as bizarre.

The general’s coffin was unearthed and opened. To the surprise— and perhaps horror—of all, it was discovered that the body had not decomposed. It was in an excellent state of preservation with the exception of one leg and foot that were partially gone. Clearly, the body could not be removed to Radnor in a sulky. Dr. Wallace’s solution to the problem was to boil the body in water,

thus enabling him to separate the flesh from the bones. The bones could then be easily packed in a box for their journey to the new burial location.10

It is unclear whether the decision to handle the general’s remains in such a fashion was made with the consent of Isaac Wayne. One can hardly imagine taking such drastic measures without the permission of the famous general’s son. But perhaps Dr. Wallace did act on his own initiative. If so, one can scarcely visualize Isaac’s reaction when told of the proceedings after the fact. It is stated, without supporting authority, that Isaac regretted the decision to handle his father’s body in such an irregular manner and—had he known of the body’s preservation— he would have preferred to have left the body in Erie and erect a monument there to his father’s memory.11

During the procedure of removing the flesh from the bones, Dr. Wallace had the help of at least four assistants, as well as the company of other spectators. 12 One of these observers, the wife of a Captain Dobbins, took a lock of the general’s hair. Many years later, she had a clear recollection of the event. Apparently, the hair easily pulled out of the head, which had the appearance of a plaster of Paris cast. The body was not hard, she said, but rather had the consistency of soft chalk.13 A gentleman named Henry Whitney wrote in a letter dated October 24, 1809, that he was told, "the flesh on his back bone was 4 inches thick solid and firm like new pork."14

One of the general’s boots had disintegrated along with most of the foot and leg. The other boot was in good condition. One James Duncan noticed that the boot would fit his own foot so he took possession of the boot and had a boot maker craft a match for it. He wore his "new" boots until they wore out.15 This rather callous and insensitive act seems to weigh against the view that Isaac Wayne was involved in the decision-making process.

A large kettle was procured, and as the body could not be boiled in one piece, it was cut into convenient sections and dropped into the boiling water. As the flesh separated from the bones, it was carved away by Dr. Wallace and his assistants, who scraped the bones clean. The bones were then packed in Isaac Wayne’s box. The water in the kettle, along with the flesh, knives and instruments used in the operation, were put back into the coffin in the original grave.16

Isaac Wayne and his father’s bones arrived in Randor on the evening of October 23, 1809. When six miles away from Waynesborough, Isaac’s carriage was met by a company of light infantry from Chester County. The Enquirer newspaper reported that the company had:

"rendezvoused at the General Wayne Inn, situated on the Philadelphia and Lancaster turnpike... When the carriage conveying the remains of the general made its appearance the drum beat to arms—the company was instantly formed, and f ield off icers Wm. Harris and Joseph Pearce mounted, advanced in front of the carriage, Isaac Wayne, Esq. the son and William Atlee, Esq. the son-in-law of the general followed immediately in its rear. The moment the carriage had reached the infantry, the music played Roslin Castle [Scottish tune from the early 1700s]; as soon as the carriage had passed the infantry, they formed in military procession accompanied by a large concourse of citizens and off icers in uniform. When the procession had reached the Warren tavern a halt was made for 25 minutes; in the mean time the military partook of an elegant collation prepared by Mr. Charles Fahnestock, upon the occasion. The procession was again formed in similar order and advanced as far as the Bear Tavern on the turnpike, which is within one mile of the mansion-house of the late general Wayne. Here night coming on, the carriage halted, whilst the procession advanced in two divisions on the right and left of the turnpike, then halting and facing inward, the carriage passed in review, the music played the dead march whilst the carriage proceeded to the mansion-house."17

Isaac Wayne wrote that "in addition to the Military were great numbers of [the] General’s old friends and acquaintances & the road was lined with Spectators of both Sexes"18 and that "On the succeeding day [October 24, 1809] at 11 o’clock the bones entire of my worthy Ancestor and Friend of Man, accompanied by many of his old Neighbors, were interred within the Cemetery of St. David’s Church..."

The ornamental case, which conveyed the bones from Erie, was placed in an "outer box made of well seasoned plank."19 The Reverend David Jones, Anthony Wayne’s chaplain in the American Revolution, gave an oration during the service.20

On June 5, 1811, the Pennsylvania State Society of the Cincinnati dedicated the monument over the grave, which still stands—although badly weathered.21 An immense crowd gathered for the occasion; the funeral procession was one mile long. Before dawn, troops of cavalry mustered in Philadelphia for the long march to Radnor. Among the military units in attendance were the 1st Regiment of Cavalry of the City and County of Philadelphia, the 1st Troop of Light Horse, the 2nd Troop of Light Horse, and the Montgomery County Troop of Lvight Dragoons.22 Isaac Wayne and other members of the family met the procession 10 miles from the burial site.23

A biography of General Wayne, along with a record of his public service, was delivered by the Reverend Dr. William Rogers, Professor of Rhetoric at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Rogers also gave the final prayer. After the regimental band had played appropriate "solemn airs of martial music" the crowd enjoyed refreshments that had been provided by the area residents. The military units then marched back to Philadelphia, having covered 36 miles during the day.24

Yet the tale of "Mad" Anthony Wayne’s remains does not end here. On November 10, 1853, the old abandoned blockhouse in Erie was apparently set on fire by arsonists and burned to the ground.25 In later years, the parade ground was leveled off and the site of the original grave was lost.26 In about 1878, one Dr. Germer located the general’s first burial place. He had the grave opened a second time, and discovered the lid of the coffin.27 Most of the rest had rotted away. The State of Pennsylvania rebuilt the blockhouse in 1880 as a memorial to the general.28 It has since been rebuilt several times, the last time being in 1984. The original coffin lid, some remnants of clothing, and Dr. Wallace’s equipment are on display.29 Notes
1 Letter, Major Isaac Craig to James McHenry, Secretary of War, dated Pittsburgh,
December 9, 1796, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography,
vol. XV, no. 2, 1891, p. 247-248.

2 Letter, Major Isaac Craig to James McHenry, Secretary of War, dated Pittsburgh,
December 9, 1796, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography,
vol. XV, no. 2, 1891, p. 247-248.

3 Stille, Charles J., Major-General Anthony Wayne and the Pennsylvania Line in
the Continental Army, Philadelphia, J.B. Lippincott Co., 1893, p. 343.

4 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co.,
1884, p. 211.

5 July 14, 1809, Republican Watch-Tower (newspaper) letter to the editor quoting
from an unnamed correspondent who wrote from Fort Le Beauf, August
25, 1807, concerning his visit to Wayne’s gravesite.

6 United States Gazette, July 6, 1809.

7 Letter, Benjamin Rush to Isaac Wayne, August 30, 1809, Wayne Papers,
Detroit Public Library.

8 Letter, Isaac Wayne to Colonel Francis Johnston, October 27, 1809, archives
of Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati.

9 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co,
1884, p. 211.

10 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co,
1884, p. 211.

11 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co,
1884, p. 212.

12 Letter dated October 24, 1809 from one Henry Whitney mentions that four
men were hired at 50 dollars each and that the doctor received 70 dollars
for his services; The Valley Publishing Company, Sheffield, PA, October 30,
1981, from Erie County Historical Society & Museums.

13 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co,
1884, p. 212.

14 Letter of Henry Whitney, October 24, 1809.

15 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co,
1884, p. 211.

16 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co,
1884, p. 211.
17 The Enquirer, December 1, 1809.

18 Letter, Isaac Wayne to Colonel Francis Johnston, dated October 27, 1809.

19 Letter, Isaac Wayne to Colonel Francis Johnston, dated October 27, 1809. It should be pointed out that there has been considerable error in the date of the burial of the bones at St. David’s. Charles Stille in Major General Anthony Wayne and the Pennsylvania Line and Glenn Tucker in Mad Anthony Wayne and the New Nation give it as 4 July 1809. David Nelson, Anthony Wayne, Soldier of the Early Republic uses October 4, 1809. Clearly, from Isaac Wayne’s letter the correct date is October 24, 1809. This letter is in the archives of the State (Pennsylvania) Society of the Cincinnati.

20 Rhode Island Republican, December 6, 1809.

21 United States Gazette, June 10, 1811.

22 United States Gazette, June 4, 1811.

23 Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser, June 8, 1811.

24 Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser, June 8, 1811.

25 Erie Gazette, November 10, 1853.

26 Stille, Charles J., Major-General Anthony Wayne and the Pennsylvania Line in
the Continental Army, Philadelphia, J.B. Lippincott Co., 1893, p. 344.

27 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co.,
1884, p. 212.

28 History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, vol. 1, Chicago, Warner, Beers & Co.,
1884, p. 212.

29 Letter to the author from Erie County Historical Society & Museums, October 26, 2000.



By Hugh T. Harrington