Will-o-the-wisps

Will-o'-the-wisps are mysterious, glowing lights appearing at night, typically over marshes, swamps, and bogs. In folklore, these lights are magical, mischievous creatures like spirits, imps, and fairies, hoping to lead travelers astray.

In The Hesperus Prophecy, Washington is accused of using sorcery to help win the Revolutionary War, with reports of these mysterious lights showing up before major battles. These lights are caused by Hesperus, arriving at key points to guide General Washington, but he needs a more grounded explanation to assuage his detractors.

On November 5, 1783, Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense, joined George Washington in Rockingham. Together, they conducted an experiment in the Millstone River. The men poked sticks into the mud releasing flammable marsh gas, which they lit on fire. For the first time, there was a scientific explanation for the phenomenon known as will-o’-the-wisps, and the experiment provided a rational explanation to satisfy Washington’s critics.

Will-o’-the-wisps

Millstone River

Reproducing will-o’-the-wisps