Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-10-11
BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON

49, HE issuance by the post office de-
partment of a special fve-cent
stamp which will be placed ON sale
In Chicago. Detroit and Boston on
- October Is and at other post of
fcHwWE fees on October 10 serves to re-
NM u call the name of a distinguished
7.XT foreigner who, In the words of
TN Postmaster General Farley, twill
tCIaA4.aJ 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 as "the great champion OF liberty"
and this stamp Ia 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 Mt West Point,
N. T.; a 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 will 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 IL. 1776, that he came TO Washington's
camp near New York, bearing q letter of intro
duction from Benjamin Franklin to the COM
1@aaN 80 ~hA1t ~ vas ONLODEI vi IIuI
year that he was made a colonel of engineers
In the Continental army. became a member of
Washington's military family and began the as
ISOLATION with the great American which enabled
Kosciuszko In later years to call himself proudly
"a friend OF Washington" and 1t was on October
10, 1877, that the Polish champion met his death
by a fall from his horse, an event which the
Poet Campbell has made historic with his
Hope for a season babe the world farewell
And Freedom shriek'd as Kosciuszko fell -
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 told style), 1882. and Koscluszko on
February II, 1746. He grew up on his fathers
estate, a remote spot In Lithuanla. Though of
noble birth, the elder Kosciuszko was q man of
property, and his children lived like other chill.
dren of their class. Thaddeus seems to have been
a diligent, conscientious boy, with a keen sense
of responsibility. He attended the Jesuit college
in his home town. and In 1894 entered the corps
of cadets In the Royal School Of Warsaw.
Later he went to France, where he studied
military engineering, especially French fortif-
cations. Sketches made by Kosciuszko while he
was studying architecture In Brest and Paris
are TO be seen In Poland's national museums. At
the age OF twenty-eight he returned home, to
unu the Iaully loTLuneS sadly depicted.
Just why at this time Kosciuszko made up his
mind to go to America la not entirely clear.
Some attribute 1t to an unhappy love affair
others assert he was stirred by the story of a
young country fighting for its independence. AT
all events, he sailed for the New world and
landed at Philadelphia In the summer Of l776,
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 DOR asked Washington, according to the
familiar story. "Try me and we shall see n was
the Poles modest reply. SO Washington made
him q colonel of engineers and he soon proved
what he could do.
From October, 1776, to April. 1777, he was
busy f~ortifying 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 fertilization 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 on the Hudson at West Point. gen
orally rated as bis greatest achievement In the
War for American independence. Kosciuszko ar. |