Katharina Buczek
But, literature is not the only source to influence Irving.
The Myth Of The Hessian Soldier
After the American Revolution, a myth emerged that spoke of a headless Hessian soldier– or a German troop who aided the nation’s battle against the British.
But, this specific Hessian was tragically decapitated via cannonball during the 1776 Battle of White Plains.
And, as legend has it, the soldier’s corpse was buried in Sleepy Hollow at Old Dutch Church. Then, the Hessian was believed to rise from the grave each night in hopes of finding his head.
Even though the latter part of the story might sound fictitious, New York Historical Society records do indicate that there really was a soldier who suffered decapitation during the Battle of White Plains.
“A shot from the American cannon at this place took off the head of a Hessian artilleryman,” wrote Major General William Heath in a 1798 memoir.
Nonetheless, Irving also had another, more personal source of influence for the legend– his own life.
The True Places And People Behind The Legend
Irving originally grew up amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City. But, at fifteen, he moved upstate to a region known as Tarrytown– where a close friend, James Kirke Pauling, lived.
However, Irving did not just visit Tarrytown for a weekend getaway. Instead, he fled home because, in 1798, New York City was being ravaged by yellow fever.
