The Headless Horseman of Yorktown, Virginia may have inspired The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The headless Hessian may have been the inspiration for The Headless Horseman.Photo byWikipedia

The headlesss Hessian

According to the Mythological Encyclopedia, one of Virginia's most famous ghost stories is The Headless Horseman of Yorktown which folklore says evolved after a cannonball decapitated a Hessian soldier during the Revolutionary War.

The headless body was buried in a mass grave with other soldiers, but his spirit is believed to haunt the battlefield, appearing on specific nights, including Halloween.

Did the Yorktown legend inspire Washington Irving?

Many visitors to Yorktown have reported seeing a Headless Horseman riding through the streets at night. Some have even heard the sound of his horse's hooves and his bridle jingling.

History.com suggests the Headless Horseman of Yorktown may have inspired Washington Irving's famous tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, with Icabod Crane and Brom Bones.