The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Thaddeus Kosciuszko - Jul. 26th, 2004

www.kosciuszkofoundation.org ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

.

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

.

.

Our Mission:

The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

To read previous Foxhole threads or
to add the Foxhole to your sidebar,
click on the books below.

.

.

.

Tadeusz Kosciuszko
(1746-1817)

.

THADDEUS (TADEUSZ) KOSCIUSZKO
A Polish Son of Liberty,
Hero of the American Revolution

Of the many distinguished military men who came from abroad to fight for the independence of the American colonies, Kosciuszko was the very first. In August 1776, only a month after the Declaration of Independence had been signed, the 30-year-old military engineer arrived in Philadelphia from Poland. He offered his services to the Continental Congress, and served continuously until the British surrender seven years later. For over 200 years, the memory of his dedication and contribution has forged strong bonds between the peoples of Poland the United States. Kosciuszko was born to an aristocratic family of modest means in Poland on February 4, 1746. He received a solid classical education at the local church school; mathematics, geometry and drawing attracted his special attention, and at 19 he decided on a military career. He entered the newly-established Royal Military School in Warsaw. Four years later, he graduated with honors, receiving a captain's commission, and was sent on a scholarship from King Stanislaw August to Paris, for advanced study of engineering and artillery.



When he returned to Poland five years later, the country had been forced to yield much of its territory to Russia, Prussia, and Austria, and there was little use for his skills. Hearing of the events at Lexington and Concord, he decided to enlist in the American cause, and traveled to Philadelphia.

He was commissioned Colonel of Engineers by Congress, and assigned to General Horatio Gates and the Army of the North. His strategic engineering skills were a major factor in the American victory at Saratoga a year later; it was this triumph that turned the tide of the war and convinced many European powers to support America against Britain.

Kosciuszko's next task, probably his most important in this country, was the fortification of the heights of West Point, which Washington had called "the key to America." This occupied him nearly two and a half years. He supervised the construction of interlocking batteries, and designed a massive 60-ton chain to block the Hudson River and keep the British from advancing South. (Later, this site became the home of the U.S. Military Academy; the first monument there, erected by the cadets themselves, was to Kosciuszko.)


"Hero of two worlds"
Thaddeus Kosciuszko, here in his heroic American role, painted by a Pole: Kosciuszko at West Point by Boleslaw Jan Czedekowski (1885 - 1969).

He was then sent to the Army of the South, where he supervised troop movements crossing rivers and treacherous swamps. He had the honor of leading American troops into Charleston, the last point of British resistance in the South. At the war's end, Congress named him a Brigadier General.

In 1784, he returned to Poland, and five years later was called up to the Polish army. Poland's political fortunes were sinking, however, and the King ordered his troops to stop fighting. Resigning in protest, Kosciuszko resigned and went to Germany, where he maintained contact with Poles planning a general insurrection.



Finally, in March 1794, he returned to Poland to lead the long-planned revolt. He ordered the mobilization of all men fit to bear arms, even peasants. In America, Kosciuszko had learned how to work with such untrained volunteers. Seven thousand men rushed to join his army, and he soon won a stunning victory over the Russians at Raclawice. By October, however, combined Russian and Prussian troops overwhelmed his forces; Kosciuszko, seriously wounded, was captured. The next year, in a final partition, Russia, Prussia and Austria divided what was left of Poland between them, and the country vanished from the map of Europe.

Kosciuszko was held prisoner in Moscow under Catherine the Great, but her successor, Czar Paul I, freed him on the condition that that he not return to Poland.


George Washington and Thaddeus Kosciuszko

Kosciuszko came back to America, his adopted homeland, and moved to Philadelphia. His earlier friendship with Jefferson bloomed, and the two met almost daily. When he left America for the last time, he named Jefferson the executor of his will, directing that all his American assets be sold and used to buy and free slaves.

His final years were sad and full of disappointments. He was invited to the Congress of Vienna in 1815, but the leaders there refused to restore Poland to post-Napoleonic Europe. He settled with friends in Switzerland friends,where he died in October 1817, at the age of 71. His body was returned to Poland, and lies in a royal crypt in Cracow's Wawel Cathedral.


303 Warsaw Kosciuszko's Squadron

After World War I, his courage inspired American volunteers to join the new Polish Air Force, forming the "Kosciuszko Squadron" to fight Russian forces a century after Kosciuszko himself had done so. And in 1925, the Kosciuszko Foundation was established in the United States, to promote educational and cultural exchanges between the United States and Poland. As it approaches its 75th anniversary, in the year 2000, the Foundation continues to enrich both Poland and America through a deeper understanding of each otherís cultures, values, and achievements.

Ironically, Kosciuszko could never secure for his homeland the freedom he helped America to win. But his life continues to encourage each new generation of Poles. Thomas Jefferson, who knew him as well as any American did, summed up his dear friend and colleague by declaring:



HE WAS AS PURE A SON OF LIBERTY AS I HAVE EVER KNOWN, AND OF THAT LIBERTY WHICH IS TO GO TO ALL, NOT TO THE FEW AND RICH ALONE.

[SAMWolf]

He arrived at Philadelphia in August of 1776. These heady days of patriotic fervor shortly after the Declaration of Independence had transformed an uncertain rebellion into a revolution. Kosciusko, a romantic idealist from a country under Russian domination, was deeply influenced by the liberal principles of Thomas Jefferson on the inherent right of men to redress political injustice and, in freedom, to pursue personal fulfillment. His emotional summons in later years to his own countrymen when he rallied them against foreign aggressors bore the unmistakable imprint of the Declaration.


Kosciuszko's Arrival in Philadelphia

Kosciusko's arrival in the Colonies also coincided with a time of military reverses. New York had fallen to the British and Philadelphia was menaced. The young engineer was quickly assigned to strengthen the Delaware River approaches to the latter city. Drawing for the first time upon his professional training and exhibiting a skill in using to tactical advantage a particular terrain, he helped slow the British advance. Congress recognized these initial services by appointing Kosciusko Colonel of engineers in which position he made three key contributions to the eventual success of the American cause. The most notable was his role in the decisive battle of Saratoga where his fortifications led to the first major victory for the Americans and assured them of open French support.

The second was his assignment to erect a permanent barrier on the Hudson against British attempts to split the Colonies. This was successfully accomplished on the heights at West Point where the U.S. Military Academy was subsequently established, in part at Kosciusko's recommendation. The Academy's first manual on the use of mobile horse artillery was based on a treatise written by him some years later at the request of the American Minister to Paris.

His final contribution came while serving as chief engineer to the Army of the South under General Nathanael Greene. Kosciusko's exploration of the Carolina wilderness, location of defensible campsites and construction of a river fleet enabled General Greene to maneuver swiftly and effectively against Cornwallis, leading to the British commander's subsequent encirclement at Yorktown.

It was during Kosciusko's service in the South that we first hear of his reaction to the "peculiar" institution of slavery which, in its contradiction of the principles of the Revolution, must have puzzled the young idealist. Employing a simple eloquence in one of his letters, he called Green's attention to the plight of two "naked" (sic) slaves whose "skin can bear as well as ours" some "good things" to wear. From this time on, Kosciusko viewed forced servitude with even greater repugnance than before, condemning the relationship between master and subject as one which should not be tolerated in enlightened societies.

After the war, Congress conferred upon the "eminent" foreign volunteer the brevet rank of Brigadier General, a grant of land in the Ohio territory (where the city of Columbus now stands), and a special resolution of thanks. He was also invited to join the Society of the Cincinnati, the prestigious organization of officers of the American Revolution, and present among the select company in Fraunces Tavern on December 4, 1783, when Washington bade farewell to his former comrades-in-arms.

Despite his sober attention to duty, Kosciusko was also known during the Revolution as a man of high spirits and engaging personality, popular with members of both sexes. A hint of a somewhat puckish sense of humor appeared at this time in a letter to a fellow officer fruitlessly in love. "Go so far as to ruin the girl," he advised, "then marry her and apologize later to her parents." Interestingly, Kosciusko did not follow this advice in his own love affairs.

A humorous reference to the undoubted difficulties Americans must have had with his name was made by a fellow passenger aboard the same ship with Kosciusko, by then well-known and on the way back to his homeland in 1784:

"Our Polish friend whose name still sounds so hard To make it rhyme would puzzle any bard."

[SAMWolf]

Two hundred and fifty one years have passed since in February 1746, in the Eastern territories of the Kingdom of Poland, the man to whom these words are addressed was born. The man who was to become the symbol of alliance between countries so distant in space yet so close in their love of freedom.



A cadet of the Military Academy in Warsaw, an outstanding, educated in France engineer - strategist, a hero of the U.S. War of Independence, the commander-in-chief of the only Polish uprising to be named after its leader - Kosciuszko Rising.

Tadeusz Kosciuszko. This - how difficult for them a name - the American people have imprinted in gold onto the pages recording the dramatic history of the struggle for independence. History spanning the time from the moment when on October 18th 1776 the Leader of the Congress signed - with the words "... with great faith and trust in tour patriotism, virtues and loyalty ..." - Kosciuszko's nomination for the colonel of the American Army, till the day of November 25th, 1783 when General Kosciuszko accompanied the Commander-in-Chief George Washington on his triumphant return to New York.



On the great map of the United States of America there still shine with the glare of victory and faithful memory the battlefields where Kosciuszko fought. Saratoga - regarded as the "turning point" in the history of the War of Independence, fortified by "the young Polish engineer" that won the words of highest esteem from Horatio Gates, his commander.

West Point - the stronghold called by Washington "the most important post in America" where Tadeusz Kosciuszko, in the words of that supreme commander, had "chief direction and superintendence". The Yadkin and Dan rivers in North Carolina and Virginia where the crossing directed by Kosciuszko twice rescued the army from the enemy, compelling its commander, General Nathaneal Greene to call his chief engineer "one of the most helpful and congenial companions", stressing his "perseverance, determination, indefatigable efforts" as well as his "incomparable modesty".



"From one man we can have but one life" - wrote about Kosciuszko President Thomas Jefferson ' "and you gave us the most valuable and active part of yours, and we are now enjoying and improving its effects. Every sound American, sincere votary of freedom loves and honors you...".

The New York bridge that bears the name of Tadeusz Kosciuszko is crowned at the top with the emblems of both our states. They differ in shape but the symbol is the same. An eagle. American and Polish.

Tadeusz Kosciuszko came from a family of small landed gentry. He attended the Cadet School and in 1770 left for Paris to continue his studies. There, he became acquainted with the progressive ideology of the French Enlightenment. Poland was undergoing the first partition of 1772 when Kosciuszko was in France. In 1776 Kosciuszko left for America and took part in the fight for the freedom of the North American colonies.


Kosciuszko Statue, Humboldt Park, Chicago

Back in Poland in 1784, Kosciuszko helped organize the Polish Army which was enlarged by provisions contained in the statutes of the Four-Year Seym and participated in the 1792 war against Russia.

An armed insurrection broke out in Poland in 1794. Kosciuszko returned to the country and was appointed commander-in-chief of the armed forces with powers of a dictator.

On March 24th Kosciuszko took his oath in Cracow: "I swear to the whole Polish nation that I shall not use the power vested in me for private oppression but that I shall exercise this power only in the defense of the whole of the frontiers and to regain the independence of the Nation and to establish universal freedom". Wishing to draw the peasant masses into the fight for liberty, Kosciuszko proclaimed what is called the Po³aniec Universal in which he abolished serfdom, reduced the corvee - or unpaid labour for the lord - and freed peasants who served in the army from this duty.


Gold coin, 500 zl

After several victorious battles in October, 1794, the Polish forces suffered a defeat at Maciejowice. The commander, heavily wounded in the field, was taken prisoner. Kosciuszko remained in Russia as a prisoner until 1796. After his release Kosciuszko lived in the West.

Kosciuszko died in Switzerland in 1817. his body was brought to Poland and laid to rest in the royal crypt at Wawel Castle.

Additional Sources:

freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wcarr1
www.ci.chi.il.us/WarMemorials
www.liglobal.com
www.pinakoteka.zascianek.pl
www.rbebout.com
www.pna-znp.org
agata.odn.zgora.pl
www.polskiinternet.com www.angelfire.com/poetry/ winddrinker
www.polishworld.com
cpwk.w.interia.pl
www.wawel.net
www.wojciechowski.freeserve.co.uk/ miw
www.poles.org

[SAMWolf]

"The effusion of friendship and my warmest toward you which not time will alter. Your principles and dispositions were made to be honored, revered and loved. True to a single object, the freedom and happiness of man..."

-- So wrote the President of the United States Thomas Jefferson to his friend, American and Polish army general Tadeusz Kosciuszko.

[SAMWolf]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

---

Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

---

UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

Click on Hagar for
"The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads"

[snippy_about_it]

"FALL IN" to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Monday Morning Everyone

If you would like to be added to our ping list, let us know.

FYI - Change in posting time.

On a regular basis we have been posting the Foxhole thread at midnight Pacific time. We are going to try to post earlier but still after midnight Eastern time. For those of us in the Pacific Time Zone that would mean we would be posting the next day's thread sometime between 9 and midnight, preferably around 10 p.m. PST.

Sam and I also wanted to take this time to apologize for not being here as often as we used to be. He and I have been working on a personal project of ours that is keeping us quite busy. We appreciate everyone's help in keeping the thread moving along these last couple of months and we hope to see it continue.

The Foxhole requires a lot of time and effort to put together everyday, we love the work we do here but it is all volunteer and consequently sometimes it has to be pushed back in our priorities for the day. We wish it weren't so because it is "our baby" and we think of you all as part of the Foxhole "family".

Thanks for hanging in there with us,
Sam and Snippy

[SAMWolf]

Note: I have to go into work early tomorrow. (Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay) So no "On This Day In History".
Valin

We got your back Valin. :-)

On This Day In History

Birthdates which occurred on July 26:
No one was born

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Deaths which occurred on July 26:
No one died

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Reported: MISSING in ACTION
Valin

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

On this day...
2004 Valin didn't post "On This Day In History" at the Foxhole

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"
No Holidays anywhere in the world except for the one Valin gets today

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Religious Observances
None

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Religious History
Religiously posted "On This Day In History" until today.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Thought for the day :
"A Day without 'On This Day In History' is like a day without Valin"

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Things To Do If You Ever Became An Evil Overlord...
Take a day off and don't post "On This Day In History"

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Letters To God From The Dog...
Dear God,
What happened to the "On This Day In History" post?

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

Dumb Laws...
FReeper Foxhole:
The penalty for not posting "On This Day In History" is that your foxhole gets used for Darksheare's empties for a day.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

How To Annoy Osama bin Laden If You're Invited To A Dinner Party At His Secret Afghan Lair...
Tell him there will be no "On This Day In History" at the Foxhole

[snippy_about_it]

Slacker!

[Neil E. Wright]

* * * Here's a big BUMP up for you!! * * *

Sorry I don't drop around as often as I should, I promise to do better in the future!!!!

±

"The Era of Osama lasted about an hour, from the time the first plane hit the tower to the moment the General Militia of Flight 93 reported for duty."
Toward FREEDOM

[snippy_about_it]

Hi Neil. Got cable yet?

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the BIG bump Neil.

[Neil E. Wright]

Hiya Snippy, nope .... only way to get cable is to pay for the basic cable package and then the cable internet on top of that .... and since I have satellite (more channels, lower price) .... and since it would be about TWICE (or more) as much as my crappy dialup .... and since there is no other broadband option available ... I guess I'll have to stick with my crappy dialup a while longer .... :(

but enough of my problems ... how goes the other project?

±

"The Era of Osama lasted about an hour, from the time the first plane hit the tower to the moment the General Militia of Flight 93 reported for duty."
Toward FREEDOM

[Diver Dave]

Falling in for muster before the FR lights go out for maintenance.
Interesting topic today - I never knew.

[SAMWolf]

Morning DD.

I never knew.

That tells me you didn't grow up on Chicago's NW side. ;-)

[SAMWolf]

No DSL available?

[snippy_about_it]

Hi DD. It's bedtime anyway. We're always happy to share "new" history with Foxhole FReepers.

[snippy_about_it]

It's frustrating but should be worth all the work once we've accomplished our goal! We keep praying for success.

[snippy_about_it]

FR lights about to go out. Good night Sam.

[SAMWolf]

Good Night Snippy.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy and Sam.

A personal thank you to both of you for this thread every day. It is obvious that a great deal of work goes into each one. I applaud your efforts.