 |
| Hessian Cannon Ball from Merrit Hill |
Beware the Headless Horseman in White Stone
Chris Trimble, who owns Trimble Tavern Antiques in White Stone, was at the Brimfield Antique Show , Brimfield Mass, this September, where he purchased an old cannon ball. After talking to the person, from whom he purchased it , Chris discovered that it was found near white Plains New York close to Merrit Hill. It had been in the family as long as the man could remember. I didn't think anything about it till a friend came by the shop, who is a Revolutionary War expert. He confirmed that the cannonball was indeed Revolutionary War and Hessian.
This really changed everything concerning the history of this cannonball. Chris looked up the Hessian involvement during the Revolutionary War in Merrit Hill. The Hessian artillery were there along with the British at the Battle of Merritt Hill outside of White Plains, New York. The Battle raged from the 28th to the 31st of October 1776. General William Heath, fighting for the colonies, stated in his reports, that Lt. Fenno shot into a grouping of British Dragoons and dispersed the attackers. Then Lt. Fenno shot his cannon at the Hessian artillery battery, who were taking aiming at his position. He killed a Hessian officer on horseback. The Hessian officer was decapitated with the cannon ball on the 31st of Oct 1776. He fell onto a pile of cannon balls. They searched for his head among the pile of bloody cannon balls. His head was never found and he was buried without his head.
After the Battle was over, the dead from both sides were laid to rest at the closest church that would take them. The Hessians were buried at a Dutch church cemetery some 9 miles from the Battle in a little town called Sleepy Hollow , New York. The Hessian Officer has been cited as searching upon his horse for his head ever since, especially on All Hallows Eve.
It turns out that that Hessian officer is the legendary, Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. Trimble plans on keeping the cannon ball on display at his shop in White Stone. We will see if the ghost of the Headless Horseman comes to haunt the streets of White Stone this Halloween. You are welcome to visit if you dare.
