Patriot; born in Lithuania,
Poland, Feb. 12, 1746; was of noble descent, and was educated at the military academy at
Warsaw; also in
France, at the expense of the Polish government.
He entered the Polish army as captain, but a passion for the daughter of the marshal of Lithuania caused him to leave his country and offer his services to the
Americans.
He arrived in 1776, with a note of introduction and recommendation to
Washington by
Dr. Franklin. “What do you seek here?”
inquired the chief.
“I come to fight as a volunteer for American independence,” answered
Kosciuszko.
“What can you do?”
asked
Washington.
“Try me,” was the quick reply.
He entered
Washington's military family, Oct. 18, 1776, as colonel of engineers.
He planned the fortified camp of
General Gates at Bemis's Heights, in 1777, and was the principal engineer in constructing the works at
West Point, on the
Hudson.
Attached to
Greene's army in the
South, he was the engineer in the siege of
ninety-six (q. v.), in June, 1781.
For his services in the
Continental army he received the thanks of Congress, the Order of the
Cincinnati, and the brevet of brigadier-general.
Returning to
Poland, he fought against the Russians, under Poniatowski, in 1792; but the Polish patriots were defeated, and
Kosciuszko retired to
Leipsic.
Another rising of the Poles occurred in 1794, when
Kosciuszko was placed at the head of the insurgents as dictator; and, with 5,000 peasants, armed mostly with scythes, he routed nearly twice that number of Russians at Raclawice, April 4.
Committing the conduct of a provisional government to a national council, he marched against his enemies.
In
Warsaw he was besieged by a combined army of Russians and Prussians.
These, after
several bloody conflicts, were compelled by the Polish chief to raise the siege.
Austria had joined the assailants of the Poles, and, with an army of 150,000 men, fell upon and crushed them (Oct. 10) at Macieowice.
Kosciuszko fought gallantly, and fell covered with wounds, utttering the sadly prophetic words, afterwards fulfilled, “
Finis Polonice!”
He was made captive, and was imprisoned at
St. Petersburg until the accession of the Emperor Paul, who set him at liberty, and offered
Kosciuszko his own sword.
It was refused, the Polish patriot saying, “I have no need of a sword, since I have no country to defend.”
In 1797 he visited the
United States, where he was warmly welcoined, and received, in addition to a pension, a grant of land by Congress.
He resided near
Fontainebleau, in France; and when
Bonaparte became
Emperor, in 1806, he tried to enlist
Kosciuszko in his schemes in relation to
Poland.
Kosciuszko refused to lend his services, except on condition of a guarantee of Polish freedom.
He went to live in
Solothurn.
Switzerland, in 1816, where he was killed
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by a fall from his horse over a precipice, Oct. 15, 1817.
The remains of this true nobleman of
Poland lie beside those of Sobieski and Poniatowski in the cathedral church at Cracow.
An elegant monument of white marble was erected to his memory at
West Point by the cadet corps of 1828, at a cost of $5,000.
Kossuth, Lajos (Louis)
