The FReeper Foxhole Profiles General "Mad Anthony" Wayne - Nov. 15th, 2003

www.phmc.state.pa.us ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
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FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

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General "Mad" Anthony Wayne
(1745 - 1796)

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Anthony Wayne was one of the most colorful of all the commanders-in-chief that the Army of the United States has ever had. Some have acclaimed him as the first native-born military genius, whose greatness as an organizer of troops and as a military planner is only now beginning to be recognized at its full worth. Because of his brilliant exploits during the American Revolution, he was regarded as a military hero in his own time, but his greatest achievement came after 1792. With a new American army, the Legion of the United States, which he organized and drilled, Wayne defeated hostile Indians of the Northwest Territory at Fallen Timbers in 1794, and then made peace with them at Greenville in 1795, putting an end to Indian raids and opening Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania to settlement.

Born on January 1, 1745, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Anthony was the only son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Iddings) Wayne and was named for his grandfather, Captain Anthony Wayne, a veteran of Marlborough's campaigns. His birthplace, the family home called Waynesborough, built by his grandfather in 1724, still stands about six miles from the borough of Wayne and about three miles from Paoli. Young Anthony's school record was far from outstanding. The most remarkable incident of his school days was a sham battle in which Wayne and his classmates re-enacted the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1759. He was punished for this escapade, but it showed his awareness of what was going on it the world as well as his inclination toward a military career. In school he learned enough mathematics to make him a competent surveyor and in 1765, when he was twenty years old, a land company sent him to look after the surveying of lands in Nova Scotia. During the winter he returned to Philadelphia and married Mary Penrose, the daughter of a Philadelphia merchant. The Nova Scotia land venture failed in 1766, and Wayne went back to Chester County to run the family farm and tannery in partnership with his father. His father's death in 1775 made him a man of means and position.



Despite his wealth and comfortable situation, Anthony Wayne did not hesitate when the issues leading to the American Revolution were drawn. In his county he became a leader of the people who objected to British efforts to tighten control over the colonies. He presided over committees in his county which framed resolutions of protest against the British coercive acts and enforced the agreement against the importation of British goods. In 1775 he represented Chester County in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Finally, on January 3, 1776, he accepted a commission as colonel of the Fourth Pennsylvania Battalion and began his military career.


"Mad" Anthony Wayne's Signature

Anthony Wayne has been called the "trouble shooter of the Revolution" by a recent biographer, Harry Emerson Wildes. This phrase well describes his services in the Continental Army. He seemed to be everywhere at once-recruiting, drilling, disciplining, fighting, and raising supplies. Difficult assignments, insuperable tasks, dangerous feats were the stock in trade of this energetic and self-reliant soldier. The nickname, "Mad Anthony," which is said to have originated in the drunken babbling of a disgruntled soldier, reflects his quick temper. Wayne was impetuous and swift to action, but he was not rash or fool-hardy. As a commander he was cautious, and even his most glamorous deeds were based upon careful and painstaking plans.



In the spring of 1776 Wayne and his battalion went with the Pennsylvania brigade to reinforce the Canadian expedition, through which Congress had hoped to gain another colony for the American cause. By his personal bravery and leadership Wayne held his troops together to cover the retreat of the American army after the defeat at Three Rivers on the St. Lawrence. Congress abandoned the effort to win Canada, and Wayne was placed in command of Fort Ticonderoga. Here he had for the first time the thankless task of maintaining discipline among troops from various states who were disinclined to follow the orders of a Pennsylvania commander. Commanding Fort Ticonderoga was not as enjoyable as his childhood game of fighting for it. In February, 1777, he was made a brigadier general, and in April he left Ticonderoga to join Washington at Morristown, New Jersey, and take command of the Pennsylvania Line.


Limestone pedimental relief, Wayne County Building General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, soldiers and settlers concluding a treaty with Native Americans after the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794; Detroit; taken 1999

After a period of drilling and training, during which Wayne showed his customary concern for the proper equipment and uniforming of his men, the Pennsylvania Line fought in the campaign against the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777. After the British army landed in Maryland and marched north, Wayne and his men were with the American army which attempted to stop them at Brandywine Creek on September 11. His troops held the center of the defense at Chadd's Ford. The American army, however, was outflanked by a British force which crossed the Brandywine higher up, and in the fierce fighting which followed Wayne's troops held the stream crossing until the rest of the army was out of danger. Washington retired north of the Schuylkill River and sent Wayne to circle around and harass the British in order to delay their advance on Philadelphia. This led to the greatest disaster of Wayne's military career.


British troops using only their bayonets inflicted over 300 casualties at Paoli

In an attack before dawn on September 20, the British fell upon his force of 1,500 men encamped at Paoli, not far from his birthplace. The British had learned the position of his camp from Tory spies. Wayne himself was warned by an old farmer of the approach of the British but not soon enough to get his men completely ready. The British moved up while it was still dark and slaughtered more than two hundred men before Wayne could get his forces organized to fight a rear-guard action. Because of the number killed by the cold steel of bayonets, this affair was known as the "Paoli Massacre." Although Wayne kept his head in the midst of confusion and gave the proper orders to get the rest of his men away safely, he was later accused of negligence. He asked for a court-martial, which acquitted him unanimously and called him "an active, brave and vigilant officer." In the career of almost every great military leader, similar disasters can be found, caused by sheer bad luck or an unforeseen combination of circumstances, but the measure of Wayne's greatness was his ability to meet disaster.

[SAMWolf]

Sir William Herschel

LOL!! That was my first thought too . But I wasn't gonna say it!!

[SAMWolf]

Nothing but lazyness on my part.

Same with me Valin. I have all the tutorials and stuff. I just never seem to get around to learning it.

[SAMWolf]

30+!! Someone must either be really good or the other guys just really stink.

[SAMWolf]

Smokers are second class citizens in the United States now.

They're almost as hated as lawyers.

[SAMWolf]

I hear they're still pretty popular in Europe.

[snippy_about_it]

It should be treated as drugs and banned completely.

Too late for that. In my opinion, you can't "change horses in the middle of the stream". Smoking has been a part of America since its start. It is a case of it is my body, they are legal and always have been so if I choose to smoke I will. Just like now they are trying to outlaw fattening food. There are too many laws being imposed on Americans that have nothing, absolutely nothing to do with our Constitution but everything to do with our freedom of choice.

/rant.

[SAMWolf]

LOL! Looks like the "Health Nazis" are invading Poland too.

We have people here who think they should control what you eat, do in your free time, what you drive, where and in what you live and how you should raise your kids.

[snippy_about_it]

I'm not offended. I just believe it is an individual choice not to be dictated by governments. Once these type of laws are imposed they tend to get carried away and start to dictate how we live our lives. We must be careful of such impositions, imho.

[WaterDragon]

Good morning, SAM, and thanks for this treat of history about Wayne!

I do love reading about those Revolutionaries. They were extraordinary people, weren't they? And they put me in mind of all the various conservatives today, of all sorts and opinions, who are determined to keep the country secure and not allow the Left to destroy our heritage. Makes me proud that we, here at FR, are part of that.

[colorado tanker]

Present! The radio in my Foxhole is tuned to college football. I'll have to track down a kielbasa in honor of our fine Polish allies.

[snippy_about_it]

mmmm Polska Kielbasa. Enjoy! It's a good day for football in the Foxhole.

[SAMWolf]

Morming WaterDragon. The early Revolutionaries sure had a spirit that didi't seem to have been beatable.

[SAMWolf]

Get a smoked one, they're better than the fresh ones IMHO.

[snippy_about_it]

We have a similar saying. "Wish I didn't know now, what I didn't know then." LOL.

I didn't know it was smoking was bad for me when I was young. Now I do and wish I didn't.

I'd love to quit but I don't want to do it because the government forces me to.

[colorado tanker]

Mmmm. At the half, CU leads Iowa State 37-0. There really was a football team under that pile of . . .

I saw Master and Commander last night and it was outstanding. But I'm biased because I'm a big fan of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels, which IMHO are the best series of military/naval historical fiction. Fascinating to see a Napoleonic era naval ship at work. Russell Crowe, as usual, is terrific. Highly recommended.