The Coolidge examiner., 1933-10-13
BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON

~ HE issuance by the post Office de-
partment of special fve-cent
stamp which will be placed on sale
In Chicago, Detroit and Boston on
- October 1S and at other post of
fEwwE=7l fees October 10 serves to re-
In NS(tlD II | call the name of distinguished
ISMf3 foreigner who In the words of
IE /MA II Postmaster General Farley "will
S.sO...O be forever perpetuated in the
hearts Of the American people"
For this stamp commentaries the 150th anniver-
sary OF the admission to American citizenship
OF Gen. Thaddeus Kosciuszko, the Polish soldier
who is known "the great champion of liberty"
and this stamp is another tribute to his memory
by the nation whose liberty he helped to estab
lish. Monuments have been erected to him in
Chicago, Boston and Washington and at the
United States Military academy at West Point
n. Y; county in Indiana and streets in sew
eral of our cities bear his name but the every
day use of the commemorative stamp during Oc-
tober by thousands of Americans viii recall his
name and fame to more of our citizens than
any of these other memorials have ever done
October is a month which is peculiarly asso-
ciated with the history of Kosciuszko 1t was on
October 1S 1716, that he came to Washington's
camp near New York, bearing letter of intro
duction from Benjamin Franklin to the COM
mander-in-chief; II during October of that
in the Continental army, became a member of
Washington's military family and began the as
sociaton with the great American which enabled
KosciusZko in later years TO call himself proudly
"a friend OF Washington" and 1t was on October
10. 1917 that the Polish champion met his death
by fall from his horse, an event which the
Poet Campbell has made historic with his
Hope for a season bade the world farewell
And Freedom shriek'd as Kosciuszko fellw
Also significant in the relationship OF Washing
ton and Kosciuszko is the fact that they were
born in the same month. Washington on Feb
ruary II (old style). 1892 and Kosciuszko on
February II, 1746. He grew up on his fathers
estate a remote spot In Lithuania Though of
noble BIRTH the elder Kosciuszko was a man of
property. and his children lived like other chill
dren of their class. Thaddeus seems to have been
diligent conscientious boy with keen sense
of responsibility. He attended the Jesuit college
in his home town. and in 1854 entered the corps
of cadets in the Royal School of Warsaw
Later he went to France, where he studied
military engineering, especially French fortii-
cations. Sketches made by Kosciuszko while he
was studying architecture in Brest and Paris
are to be seen in Polands national museums. At
the age of twenty-eght he returned home. TO
find the family fortunes sadly depleted
Just why at this time Kosciuszko made I'D his
Some attribute 1t to unhappy love affair:
others assert he was stirred by the story of
young country fighting for its independence. At
all events he sailed for the New world and
landed at Philadelphia In the summer of 1776
having mortgaged his patrimony and borrowed
450 ducats to get there.
He seems to have made the acquaintance of
Franklin either in France or in Philadelphia, for
we next hear Of him presenting the letter of in
PRODUCTION from Franklin. previously referred to,
to Washington in October. 1776 "What can
you do?" asked Washington according to the
familiar story. TRY me and we shall see !" was
the Poles modest reply. So Washington made
him a colonel of engineers and he soon proved
what he could do.
From October. 1776, to April. 1777, he was
busy fOrtifying Philadelphia. continuing the
work which he had undertaken upon his arrival
there before his services had been accepted by
Washington Then he joined Gates army in the
North and ii was KosciusZko who selected and
planned the fortification of Bemis Heights, near
Saratoga, and his contribution was a material
one to the success of the operations which led
to the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga
Shortly afterwards. KOsciusZko planned the
Notifications the Hudson at West Point. gen.
orally rated his greatest achievement in the
War for American independence Koscuszko ar