Mad Anthony: Spectral Midnight Rider

Even though ghosts are seen during the day the most dramatic sightings often are witnessed at night. Specifically, at midnight known as the witching hour.

Mad Anthony Wayne

This ghost story takes place at the witching hour in both upstate New York and Pennsylvania. After midnight one must gather their courage in these two states for many have reported seeing a spectral horse and its owner.

This ghost is Major General Mad Anthony Wayne and his horse Nancy. They are seen charging across shadowed hills and isolated roads.

Wayne was a hero during the American Revolutionary War. He got the nickname “Mad Anthony” because he took dangerous risks that exhibited a restless and daring courage.

Wayne with Nancy

His partner in this heroism was his horse Nancy. In one spot where he is seen, Storm King Pass, in 1779 he raced across the Hudson River in New York on Nancy’s back in order to warn a group of American troops that British soldiers were fast approaching.

This scene is still witnessed at midnight. People state Wayne and Nancy show no signs of fear.

In more dramatic witness accounts of this sighting it is said that white-hot orange sparks are seen flashing from Nancy’s hooves while Wayne’s dark cloak billows out behind him.

In a long standing legend it is stated Wayne’s ghost and Nancy are also seen along a road that runs between Radnor and Erie, Pennsylvania. The cause for this haunting is said to be the fact the old general is looking for some of his bones.

Old Fort on Presque Isle

These sightings occur on Presque Isle as well as at the old Wayne blockhouse in Erie.

Hooves are also heard pounding on Contestoga Road into Lancaster, along the Susquehanna River, then up the west bank to the Alleghenies all the way to the shores of Lake Erie.

It was along this route that Wayne’s remains journeyed in a wagon. The general was buried at the Old Fort on Presque Isle originally.

St. David's Episcopal churchyard.

But after his death his son, Isaac arranged to have his body dug up in 1809. He wanted his father’s remains buried at the old St. David Episcopal churchyard in Radnor—Wayne was a lifelong member of this church.

The box brought to carry his body was too small for all of Wayne’s bones so a surgeon made the decision to leave part of the bones buried at the fort. The rest were placed in this box and carried in a wagon across what was then still a wilderness.

The road to Radnor was rough and bumpy. It is said several of the bones fell out of the box and were left where they lay.

Waynes grave in Radnor.

What remained of Wayne’s body at the end of this journey was then reinterred at Old St. David’s churchyard.

The legend states that since Wayne’s body was disturbed and several of his bones were lost he still haunts this route looking for his missing bones.

His ghost is seen most often at midnight on New Years Day—this was Wayne’s birthday. Witnesses state they hear Mad Anthony whistling for Nancy his faithful horse and then her hooves are heard pounding across the rough landscape.