Koschiusko

TK baptized as Andrew Thaddeus Bonaventure Kosciuszko on 12 February 1746 at

Kossow, County of Slonim, in Grand Duchy of Lithuania. (At this time,

Lithuania and Poland formed a commonwealth, but Lith. had its own statute,

army and treasury). TK one of four children (second son) of lesser Polish

nobleman of ancient family, Louis Thaddeus Kosciuszko, who held post of

notary in Vilnius province and owned two modest estates and several farms,

and Thecla Ratomska. Early life entirely modest, living in depths of

countryside with almost no luxuries, and early schooling from mother at

home. TK then sent to Jesuit college at Lubieszow, near Pinsk, from 1755-60,

during which period father died (1758); he then moved on to another Jesuit

school in Brzesc, the chief town of the district, where he remained for next

5 yrs. Left school with brilliant record, sound classical training and with

developing passion for his country: on 187 December 1765 - yr after Russian

Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski (lover of Catherine II) placed on Polish

throne - TK enrolled in the Cadet Corps military academy in Warsaw - school

for education of youth of nobility, with emphasis on military art and

development of character. Here TK shone both for his military and academic

ability - was particularly good at geometry and art - and for his dogged

perseverance and fidelity to duty, becoming an ardent patriot. After a

years' course, he was commissioned Ensign and became one of the instructors

of the Corps, and in 1768, still a teacher there, was promoted to Captain.

King Stanislaus took personal interest in school and developed liking for

TK.

France, 1769-74: TK graduated from military academy in 1769 with honours,

and was one of four students awarded king's stipend as travelling

scholarships to study at the Ecole Militaire in France. (Mother had died yr

before: this start of TK's lifelong financial problems - elder brother Josef

inherited virtually everything, and TK never really had enough to live on -

inherited only one tiny estate). TK spent next 5 yrs in France: details

uncertain, but is known definitely that he studied military engineering and

fortifications for perhaps two years at the Ecole Militaire (1769-71?), then

attended the school of engineering and artillery in Mezieres (1771-73)-

where met the engineer and architect Perronet, with whom he briefly studied,

and also studied artillery and engineering, before spending a year (1773-74)

at the famous Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture at Paris, where he

associated with many prominent painters. Was in Paris that he met Benjmain

Franklin and learned about America's struggle for independence.

Meanwhile, in 1772 Russia, Austria and Prussia had signed an agreement to

partition Polish Commonwealth between them, which was finally carried out -

after desperate resistance of Polish Diet - in 1775, with Lithuania falling

to Russians. 28-yr-old military engineer TK returned to Lithuania in summer

1774, and found much unrest and oppression: Russian soldiers and officials

overran country, and all social reform forbidden. Within new system, was no

employment open to poverty-stricken TK, as position in army could only be

bought, and so after unhappy year spent in houses of relations he left

Poland in autumn 1775 for Paris, and from there in early summer 1776 he left

for America.

TK took himself to America as military engineer, and proved himself v.

talented in designing and locating fortifications - was commissioned a

colonel of engineers. Was first employed in Philadelphia where was put to

work fortifying town against expected attack of British fleet up the

Delaware. After some months, TK then taken up by General Gates of the

northern army, and sent to report on defences of Ticonderoga: although his

innovative plans for planting battery on summit of Sugar Loaf Hill were

approved by Gates, latter was soon after relieved of his command and TK's

plans were dropped. However, authorities soon realized their mistake, and TK

recalled but too late: English fleet on Lake Champlain, and built battery on

Sugar Loaf Hill themselves. TK meanwhile fortifying Van Schaick (1777), with

result that retreating army of States (before Burgoyne) had safe position to

retire to - generally, his sites for battlegrounds and delaying actions for

retreats aided the Revolution greatly. However, during this period didn't

even have his own blanket - had to share with another man.

TK then sent by Gates (who was again in command) to fortify the left bank of

the Hudson; he chose the vicinity of Saratoga, and here his brilliant work

made his name - his site for the camp and entrenched fortifications turned

scale in America's favour at Saratoga, and victory won alliance with France

and recognition as an independent nation by Louis XVI. TK mentioned by name

by Gates, and by Washington in 1777 in Congress. From here TK given project

of defence of Hudson, with West Point (so-called 'Gibraltar of the Hudson')

chosen for its commanding position on heights above the river. TK's 2-yr

work (1778-80) at West Point was longest and most important of his

undertakings in U.S. - although nothing is left of his fortifications, is

monument there to him (statue of him with inscription "The Hero of Two

Worlds"), plus was his recommendation that a future military academy be

built there. Was here that he met Washington, and had 2500 workmen under

him: life still v. hard, with few provisions (although TK apparently still

gave large part of his rations to starving English prisoners), plus TK laid

out Polish-style garden to make himself feel at home.

In 1780, Gates given command of southern army, and TK requested that he join

him. However, before TK reached army, Gates had been defeated at Camden and

disgraced, and was now under his successor, General Nathaniel Greene. While

waiting in south for Greene to arrive, TK saw black slaves for first time,

and was appalled by their plight - inspired lifelong sympathy for American

negro. TK then present through whole campaign of Carolinas: was sent up

Pedee River by Greene to find site for camp, and after survey of river was

responsible for building of flat-bottomed boats to transport army over

treacherous water - these boats, to TK's design, plus other services,

greatly contributed to saving of Greene's army in retreat from Cornwallis

across the Dan, when threw off British pursuit. TK then involved in

fortification of Halifax, and then in siege of Ninety-Six - when latter

campaign changed to guerilla warfare TK then fought as a soldier, during

which he personally saved lives of 41 British soldiers who were about to be

butchered by marauding Americans. He then continued to fight during 1782

near Charleston, where took over intelligence collecting, plus also stealing

English horses and spying on English. When Charleston fell on 14 Dec 1782,

was TK who decorated ball-room with magnolia leaves and paper flowers for

Greene's wife.

In 1783, TK promoted to brigadier-general, and was elected to the patriotic

Society of the Cincinnati, of which Washington was first president. Now was

also a landowner, by virtue of grant by Congress of so many acres to

officers who had fought in war, and given certificate fo wages owed him by

treasury that was virtually empty. But TK instead longed to return to

Poland, and left U.S. in July 1784, reaching Poland at end of year, full of

ardour for democracy and the fight for national independence etc. However,

spent next 4 yrs quietly on his own tiny estate, but didn't do well as

farmer as liberated all his serfs. Meanwhile, situation in Poland - which

had eased somewhat during his absence, with some reforms introduced -

changed again in 1787, when Russia became embroiled in wars with Turkey and

Sweden: Catherine II therefore allowed the Commonwealth to increase its

armed forces to 100,000 men (less than half this no. achieved by 1792), with

one-third to come from Lithuania - TK's name put forward, and finally, on 1

Oct 1789, he was commissioned a major general in Polish army.

Polish situation then changed swiftly, and on 3 May 1791 Commonwealth

proclaimed the Polish Constitution, with constitutional and hereditary

monarchy established, and serfdom abolished. This greatly angered Catherine

II of Russia, who formed a confederation of disaffected Polish and

Lithuanian nobles, and in May 1792 sent an army of 64,000 into Commonwealth

to fight 45,000 Commonweath force. TK plus other generals fought valiant

delying action against the Russians, but army was inexperienced and

underfunded and Lithuania was overrun, and its army retreated to Poland

proper. Although TK was then promoted by King Stanislaus Augustus to

lieutenant general, he resigned when King demanded that he submit to

Catherine, and in autumn 1792 Poland was also overrun - Prussia grabbed the

major Polish territories, while Russia took half of Lithuania and Ukranian

section of Poland. A Russian-sponsored Constitution was adopted in Nov 1793,

at Gardinas, limiting Lithuania's army to 5,000 and Poland's to 10,000.

At this, TK left Poland and entered Austria, but his was met with such great

admiration by Poland's supporters that was eventually asked to leave by

authorities, and travelled to Paris in early 1793. Here he wrote memoirs of

Polish war, and was granted honorary citizenship by National Assembly, and

began raising support for Polish independence. However, situation in Paris

also violent, and was glad to leave in Sept 1793, when was contacted by

group of Polish patriots and asked to lead revolt against the occupying

enemy in Poland. TK then moved first to Florence and then to Dresden, from

where over next few months he orchestrated detailed campaign to rouse Polish

and Lithuanian insurgents (esp serfs and peasants - this entirely novel, as

had never been called to arms before) through local leaders in different

provinces, and in early March 1794 he reentered Poland, and marched with

small army to Cracow, where on 24 March he proclaimed the General

Insurrection.

TK welcomed with open arms by Poles as their new leader, and Russian

soldiers at first fled infront of Polish army. In Cracow, a National Govt

was formed, naming TK as provincial dictator plus commander-in-chief of

insurgent forces, and this proclamation sent to Lithuania. Result was

immediate uprisings in Poland, while in Lithuania revolt was led by Col.

James Jasinskis, and within a few days all of the major cities were freed.

Lithuanians formed a National Council at Vilnius, but - fearing a split of

Lithuania from Poland - TK soon afterwards formed a Supreme National Council

to replace the Lithuanian one. Another major problem was with serfs -

majority of which could not believe that day of deliverance was actually at

hand, and instead waited for permission from nobles before joining the

fight. TK therefore had v. difficult job over next few days of persuading

nobles to allow serfs to fight etc.

TK remained in Cracow til 1 April, when dressed as a peasant he led his

ragged army against Russians - 4 April famous battle of Raclawice, when

smaller Polish army of nobles and peasants armed with pikes and scythes

defeated Russians, capturing 11 cannons. News of this victory was heard

across the world, and did much for Polish cause abroad. However, Polish army

badly broken by battle, and this followed by alliance of Prussian and

Russian forces: TK's greatest achievement was repulsion of these forces

after 2-month siege (Prussian force personally commanded by King Frederick

William II) of Warsaw (July-Sept 1794), but eventually Russian forces took

Cracow, while a strong counter attack in Lithuania by Russians meant great

suffering there. This followed by fierce battle at Maciejowice, Poland on 10

Oct 1794, when overwhelming Russian forces crushed TK's army in the bloody

battle of Maciejowice, during which TK himself seriously wounded. Russians

decimated insurgent army and took many prisoners, including TK, who was held

in dungeons of St. Petersburg for next 2 yrs.

After TK's capture, Polish insurrection staggered on for another few weeks,

but end in sight. TK was succeeded as commander of insurgent forces by

Thomas Vavreckis, but fate of his army now sealed - first Vilnius fell, and

Lithuanian army then had to fight way back to Poland, where great Russian

General Suvorov on 4 November 1794 led attack on Praga (or Praha), fortified

suburb of Warsaw. Praga was defended by 5,000 Warsaw insurgents and about

6,000 Lithuanians, but Suvorov's men believed to have massacred majority of

soldiers plus thousands of civilians - estimated at between 15 and 20,000

people. When Austrian troops then moved into the Commonwealth, was the final

blow and Third Partition (1795) followed, in which Poland was divided up by

Russia, Prussia and Austria and entirely disappeared from map of Europe.

TK released from St. Petersburg prison in early December 1796, and spent

remaining 20 yrs of his life in exile. Released cos when Paul I became tsar

he made general amnesty - although TK, to add to heartbreak and bitterness,

was forced to make oath of allegiance of Tsar Paul before release and was

given gift of money from tsar (this TK never touched, but left to Swiss

friends the Zeltners with whom he retired). Then left Russia for good, and

travelled to Sweden on 19 December, from where went first to England and

then for second time to America - was everywhere hailed as hero of freedom.

In America, he visited Gates, General White, and spent much time in

Philadelphia with the future Louis Philippe and Thomas Jefferson. Before his

sudden departure in May 1798, he gave his US property and money to Jefferson

to use to buy, free and educate as many black slaves as possible. Jefferson

v. old at time and bequest never carried out: instead, in 1826 legacy was

used to found the Kosciuszko Negro School in Newark, N.J., the first

educational institute for blacks to be opened in U.S.

TK called back to Europe by secret summons from Napoleon, with great hopes

that Nap. was to help Polish cause. He met N. at Bayonne in June 1798, who

hailed him as the "hero of the north", and promised to restore Lithuania and

Poland, but by following year TK had become distrustful of N.s intentions -

convinced that N. merely wanted more soldiers with which to extend his

power, and for that reason he refused to lead the Polish legions under

Napoleon. His distrust of N. proved correct in 1801, when Treaty of

Luneville totally betrayed Polish hopes - most Poles left French army, those

remaining sent on disastrous expedition to San Domingo, with few returning.

However, during following years, TK's remained one of v. few dissenting

voices against Napoleon, and so attempted to retire to Switzerland. However,

was not given permission, and was held in Paris out of favour with N. and

under police supervision for next decade, until Russian campaign of 1812,

when Napoleon marched into Lithuania and created a provisional govt. of The

Grand Duchy of Lithuania at Vilnius, and attempted to restore the defunct

commonwealth of Lithuania-Poland. However, N.'s army defeated by Russia's

scorched earth policy and guerilla attacks - Alexander I marched into

Vilnius in December 1812, and took revenge on population. TK greatly

saddened by these events and spent remaining yrs campaigning for amnesty for

Lithuanian prisoners and better treatment of Lithuania, including several

meetings with Tsar Alexander in Paris. No luck, and in 1815 he moved to

Soleure, Switzerland with Zeltners, where spent last 2 yrs in retirement. He

died on 17 Oct 1817, aged 71, and remains eventually interred in Cracow's

Wawel castle. Never married, but had several love affairs with young girls

that all ended in failure (seems fathers always wanted someone at first more

wealthy, and later both younger and more wealthy).