Evening journal., 1898-02-09
THE BRAVE KOSCIUSzKO.
Next Saturday is The Anniver-
sary of His Birth
LOCAL POLES WILL DO HIM HONOR

TR1OTS TO GAIN FREEDOM AND
THEN STOOD AT THE HEAD Or
HIS STRUGGLING FELLOW
COUNTRYMEN.
Next Saturday will be the birthday |
of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, one of the |
most patriotic sons Of dOwn-trOdden !
Poland,a and 1t is expected that the local
Polish colony will take cognizance of |
the day in some manner more or less !
formal. 1t has been 151 years since
the celebrated Polish patriot first open
ed his eyes to the light of day. AT that
time no one dreamed that he was des-
tined to play such an important and
| commendable part in the great strug- I
gle for liberty by the American patriots
in the New World and of the Polish
patriots in the Old World.
Kosciuszko was born near Novogru-
dek, in Lithuania, February 70, 1746,
and died in Solothurn, Switzerland, Oc-
tober 15, 1917. After a military educa-
/ ton at Versailles he returned to Po4
land, but an unrequitted love for the
| daughter of a marshal Of Lithuania
| induced him to leave his country He
embarked for America, where he re-
ceived a commission as an officer of
engineers in the revolution on October
Is, 177S, and repaired to his post with
| the troops under Gates He planned
the encampment and post OF the army
| on Bemis Heights, near Saratoga, and
after two hard battles Burgoyne could
not dlslodge the Americans. He was
subsequently the principal engineer of
| the works at West Point, and became
one of the adjutants of Washington.
From Franklin he received the most
marked expressions OF esteem and
commendatiOn. Finally, he was made
a brigadier-general and was honored
with the public thanks Of Congress,
and with the badge of the Order of the
| Cincinnati. At the end of the revolu-
/ tionary war he returned to Poland, and
| lived in retirement for several years.
In 1889, when the Polish army was
| reorganized, he was made a major
| general and fought gallantly in the de-
| fence of the constitution under Prince
PoniatowsH against the Russians, and
| particularly in the battle Of Zielence,
| June IS, 1892, and in that of Dubtenka,
| July II, where, with but four thousand
men, he kept off fifteen thousand Rus
| SLAMS, and finally made his retreat
without great loss. In 1894 a second
uprising of his countrymen was Sc
| cretly planned and Kosciuszko was
elected dictator and general-in-chief
Suddenly appearing at CracOw, March
a. 1894, he issued a manifesto against
the Russians, and with hastily-collect-
ed host, armed mostly with scythes,
advanced to meet the enemy. At Rada-
vice, April A, 1894 he routed with five
thousand men Russian corps doubly
lst,a 4 L..
Cracow. He then reinforced and
moved forward in quest of the Russian
army. His march was opposed by the
king Of Prussia, at the head of forty
thousand men, and Kosciuszko, with
but thirteen thousand men, was de-
feated June 6, 1884 Being unable to
check the anarchy that existed, he laid
down the dictatorship and retired with
his army to Warsaw, which city he de-
Tended with great success against the
beleaguering Prussians and Russians.
At Maciejowice, October 10, 1894, he
was met by overwhelming numbers
and routed. Falling from his horse,
covered with wounds, he was captured
by the Russians and consigned to a
prison in st. Petersburg. Upon the
death Of Catherine, two years later,
Emperor Paul gave him his liberty
with many marks of esteem. The car
on releasing his prisoner, offered him
his own sword, whereupOn KosciuszkO
said: Il have no country to defend
No sooner had he crossed the Russian
frontier than he sent back to the car
the patent of his pension and every
testimonial of Russian favor.
In 1897 he visited the United States,
and was received with great honor and
distinction, and received from Congress
a grant Of land and an addition to his
pension. He then went to France and
lived chiefly near Fontainebleau. In
1906, when Napoleon was about to in
wade Poland, he desired to make use
Of the patriot, but Kosciuszko, under
parole not to fight against Russia, re-
fused to lend himself to the purpose.
= When his allies approached Paris, in
1874 Kosciuszko observed a Polish
regiment committing acts of pillage.
Rushing forward, he upbraided the
officers for their conduct.
who is he who dares to speak
thus?" they exclaimed.
Il am Kosciuszko," he replied.
The effect was electric. The soldiers
threw down their arms, prostrated
l themselves at his feet, and supplicated
mis- pardon.
In 1916 he went to live in Switzer-
land, and his death was caused by a
fall from his horse over a precipice
His remains were removed by the EN-
perOr Alexander TO the Church of Cra-
, COW, where they repose by the side OF
p PoniatOwski and Sobiesk. Near Cra-
COW there is a mound of earth one
hundred and fifty feet high that was
e raised to his memory by the people
earth being brought from every great
battlefield of Poland. From a fancied
t | resemblance in shape to this tumulus
the lOftiest known mountain in Aus
tralia has received the name of Mount
D Kosciuszko.