The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-07-25
ANTHONY wAYNE's TWO GRAVES.

ANTHONY WAYNE'S TWO GRAVES.
How it Happened that tho lscnains of
Stouy POINTS Hero Lie In
Two Places. ..,
ERIE, PA, July 14.-Thore are few
persons outside Of this Immediate vi
cinity who know that tho remains of
Con. Anthony Wayne, the hero Of
Stony Point and the Northwestern In.
dian wars, are inferred In two graves
one being In his native county OF
Chester, in the southeastern corner Of
this State, and ono on tho shore OF
Lake Erie, in the northwestern corner.
History makes no mention Of this sim
gular fact, but 1t Is we'll authenticated.
The circumstances connected with 1t
will be of peculiar interest now, as
tho centennial anniversary of the storm
ing aud capture of Stony Point, one
OF the most important events Of the
Revolution, Is to bo celebrated on
Wednesday next at the scene OF "NIad
Anthony's" great exploit.
In 1896 what Is now tho city OF Erie
was Fort Prcsque Isle. The fort was
nothing moro than q wooden stockado.
Gen. Wayne, after his successful cam
pnign against tho Indians, returned to
PresQue Isle In the above year. He
soon afterWard died In the fort Of gOut.
He was buried at the foot of tho flag.
staff. In 1916 his family obtained pcr-
mission to remove the remains to
Chester county. A son Of Con. Wa3ne's
made tho journey clear across the
State, much of 1t then q dense wilder
ness, with horse and gig. He had
informed DR.. John q. Wallace, of
Presque Isle of his intention to remove
tho remains, and requested him to dis
inter them aud prepare thom for re-
moval. DIR. Wallace was Nn old In
Gen. Wayne through nll of the latter's
campaigns. He exhumed the remains.
He was surprised to find that the body
had not decayed, but that the flesh had
become as hard as bone, and of great
weight. Knowing that it would be
impossible for the son to carry the
body to Chester county In that condi-
ton, DIR. Wallace determined to re-
move the flesh from tho bones. This
was done by boiling and the use of
knives. The bones of Gen. Wayne
were then carefully packed in convent
ent form, and were delivered to the
son on his arrival. He was not in
formed Of tho operation that had been
performed. He returned with the box
to Chester county, where Its contents
were buried with appropriate ceremo-
! MES. A fine monument, commemora-
tive of the dead hero and his deeds,
was subsequently erected Mt the grave.
The portion of the remains removed
by DIR. Wallace was placed In q cofiu
and returned to the grave where Gen
! Wayne was buried In 1896. The lid O
the coffin bore the initials of the de
ceased, his age, and date Of his death
made by brass-headed nails. For,
Presque Isle gradually went to decay
| in the course of a few years nothing re-
| mained to mark its site or that of the
grave. The parties concerned in pre-.
pairing the remaips for removal died,
and everything connected with the
burial was forgotten. Four years ago
an antiquarian was digging for relics
around the ground where tho old fort
stood. Two feet below the surface he
found some pieces of wood, which he
removed. On one of tho remnants was
found tho initials GA. W." in brass.
headed nails. Other pieces contained
lettering and figures in brass-hcaded
nails. These dccayed pieces Of wool
proved to be tho remnants Of tho
coffin in which the detached remains
of Gen. Wayne had been buried. They
we're returned to tho earth, Il mound
made, and tho spot enclosed by n
heavy iron chain hung On four posts.
Last winter the citizens of this city
petitioncd tho Legislature for an ap-
preparation to pay for tho raising of n
monument over this grave Of Con.
Wayne. Inquiry by members Of the
legislature resulted in establishing tho
above facts. Tho grave in Chester
county, already marked by a monu-
mcnt, was regarded as tho real bury
ing place OF Gen. Wayne, however,
and the appropriation was not made.
The citizens OF Erie arc now moving
to rear monument on the old Fort
Presque Isle grave by voluntary con-
tribution.
THE ZULU WEAPON.
fSuO IrS Ind nj