Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-08
The Death of Count Pulaski
BY JOHN T. BOIFEUILLET

"
Greenwich. which was destroyed by
fire few days ago, was situated on preten-
tious and handsome grounds in suburban Sa-
vannah, but the elegant show place may have
been a ship, moving around and about the
mouth of the Savannah river, and ever and
anon washed by the surging pillows OF the
Atlantic.
At least, one might catch this fancy from
some of the entertaining and elaborate ac-
counts of the burning that have appeared in
Georgia newspapers. l quote as follows from
one of the articles in explanation of my mean
ing:
Count Pulaski, the Polish patriot who lost
his life in the combined French and Ameri-
can forces to raise the siege of Savannah
during the Revolutionary War, was shot
near, died and was buried at Greenwich, upon
the very spot where this residence was burn
ed His remains were afterward removed"
If this statement is correct as to the place
OF the death of Count Pulaski, then all my
historical readings have been erroneous. Fur
thermore, the burden of authoritative opinion
is that the count was never at any time
buried at Greenwich, but his ashes were con-
signed to watery grave in the ocean some
where between Savannah and Charleston.
Fell Mortally Wounded
History says that when the combined
French and American forces under d Estaing
and Lincoln made their unsuccessful attack
upon Savannah, then occupied by the British,
Count Pulaski who had the rank of brigadier
general commanded the cavalry of both ar
mics, October g. 1879. He conceived the
bold plan to penetrate within Savannah, pass
in rear of the hostile lnesa and carry con-
fusion and havoc in the British camp
While making a desperate assault to force a
passage between the ene1hy's works, he en-
countered heavy cross-fire from the bat
teries, and his full speed rush was stopped
by the abattis. Wounded, Pulaski fell from
his horse, still grasping his sword. Two days
later he was dead.
Was He Buried at Sea? "
The celebrated Georgia historian, Charles
c. Jones' Jr., says:
''The Count himself was endorsed by can
lister shot which, penetrating his right thigh,
inflicted fatal wound. He was borne from
the bloody field, and after the conflict was
over was conveyed on board the United States
brig Wasp to go round to Charleston The
ship, delayed by head-winds, remained sew
eral days in Savannah river, and during this
period he was attended by the most skillful
surgeons in the French fleet. 1t was found
impossible to establish suppuration, and gan
creme supeHvened. AS the Wasp was leav-
ing the river, Pulaski breathed his last. His
corpse became so offensive that Colonel Ben
talou, his officer in attendance, was COM
PEELED, though reluctantly, to consign to a
watery grave all that was now left upon
earth of his beloved and honored COM
mander?'"
have read however, that soon after the
cornerstone of the handsome monument in
Savannah to Count Pulaski was laid, October
H., 1853, what were claimed by some to be
the ashes of Pulaski were disinterred at
Greenwich and placed in a special receptacle
beside the cornerstone. This was seventy
four years following his death at sea, and
after Colonel Bentalou twas compelled
though reluctantly, to consign to a watery
grave all that was now left upon earth of
his beloved and honored commander"
Senator Bacon and Pulaski
A few years ago the Federal Government
erected large and handsome equestrian
statue OF Count Pulaski on Pennsylvania ave.
nue., Washington, D. G. One afternoon the
late Senator Bacon, of Georgia, and were
walking along this celebrated thoroughfare,
and we stopped to admire the memorial to
the Polish patriot and Revolutionary hero.
Inscribed on tablets were the names of the
various battles of the Revolution in which
Pulaski had conspicuously participated, such
as 'Brandywine, Germantown, Trenton, Sa-
vannah and Charleston.
Suddenly Senator Bacon exclaimed to me:
'Why, there is nothing on this monument
that tells that Pulaski was mortally wounded
at Savannah. This inscription is incomplete,
and l intend to have the truth told. It must
be shown that Pulaski was fighting on Geor-
gia soil when he was fatally shot,
Monument Now Records Fact
It took Senator Bacon some months of per-
sistent effort to have the record inscribed.
The commissioners of the District of Column
bia, who had all the affairs of the District in
charge, strongly combatted Senator Bacon's
for the reason, so they said, that
the necessary lettering would have to be done
in different script from the other inscriptions
on the stone, and it would mar the beauty of
the monument. Finally the senator accom-
plished his purpose as was his habit when
he set out to have thing done. On the
front of the monument in the most conspic-
uous place on the stone, are chiseled these
words:
Fell at Savannah, Georgia, October 9,
1873"
The sentence stands out in black letters,
the clearest inscription on the entire memo
rial. Look at it the next time you are walk
ing on Pennsylvania avenue, between the New
Willard, and the Raleigh hotels.
And yet 1 have had persons to ask me If
Senator Bacon ever paid any attention to
small things while he was member of the
Senate. Yes, scores of them Particularly
if they affected Georgia or Georgians.
Franklin Introduced Pulaski
Count Pulaski fought unsuccessfully for
liberty in his own country of Poland. When
at the head of a band of insurgents he failed
in an attempt to capture the king at War
saw, he was outlaWed by sentence. The coali-
ton of Russia Austria and Prussia made his
further efforts in behalf of his beloved land
useless, and he fled to France, reaching there
about the time of the Declaration of indie
pendence.
Benjamin Frankline was then represent
ing this government in France and Pulaski
called on him and rendered his services in
the cause of the Revolution. Franklin gave
Pulaski the following letter of introduction
to George Washington:
Count Pulaski of Poland an officer IA
nous throughout Europe for his bravery and
conduct in defense of the liberties of his