Stanisław Klicki Stanisław Klicki of Prus ( 1775 – 1847 ) was a Polish military commander , aristocrat and a general of the Polish forces . For his service during the Napoleonic Wars , he was made a baron of the French Empire by Napoleon Bonaparte . During the November Uprising he commanded all Polish forces on the left bank of the Vistula River . Born to a lesser szlachta family , Klicki started his military career in 1791 , joining the ranks of the National Cavalry . He fought with distinction in the War of the Constitution . A skilled cavalryman , during the Kościuszko ' s Uprising of 1794 he became the " governor of National Cavalry " under Tadeusz Kościuszko . For his valour shown in the battles of Ostrołęka and Łasia , he was promoted to the rank of Captain of Cavalry . Soon afterwards he was attached to Gen . Zieliński . After the fall of the uprising he was forced to leave the country and settled in Italy . There in 1797 he joined the Polish Legions in Italy and fought under command of Gen . Jan Henryk Dąbrowski . Klicki took part in the battles of Legnano , Castel Nuovo , Castel Franco and the battle of Naples . During the siege of Nantua in 1799 he was taken prisoner by the Austrians , but was released soon afterwards and returned to his unit . Promoted to the rank of Major , he became a commanding officer of the 5th Battalion . Soon afterwards , in 1800 , he left the infantry and was among the first officers to be accepted in the newly formed 1st Uhlans ' Regiment of the Legion . During the Napoleonic Wars he fought with distinction in several campaigns . During the war against Prussia he took part in the battles of Świdnica , Glogau and Neisse . On July 1 , 1807 he was again promoted , this time to the rank of podpułkownik ( lieutenant colonel ) . In that rank he joined the Vistulan Legion and became the commander of the cavalry of that unit . With his men he took part in the Peninsular War and fought in the battles of Mallen , Alagon , Epila and Tudela . In the summer of 1808 he fought in the First Siege of Saragossa . Following the Siege of Valencia he was awarded by Marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet with a private audience with Napoleon Bonaparte . The Emperor granted him a yearly reward of 2000 francs and a promotion to colonel . Considered a hero , in 1812 Klicki was made a Baron of the Empire . During the French invasion of Russia Klicki returned to front - line service and fought at battles of Smolensk , Vitebsk , Mozhaysk and Maloyaroslavets . During the retreat he was among the most successful commanders of the fleeing armies and managed to save almost all of his 4000 men , including viceroy of Italy Eugene Beauharnais . He found his way to Vilna , which he attempted to defend against the pursuing Russians . However , his attempt failed and Klicki retreated with his units further westwards . He then fought in the Saxon Campaign ( at Köppen , Motzern , Dresden , Magdeburg and Möchern ) . On July 22 , 1813 he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and became the commanding officer of the 32nd Light Cavalry Brigade of the V Cavalry Corps under General Édouard Jean - Baptiste Milhaud . He led his brigade in the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813 . He moved to France and fought in the Battle of Arcis - sur - Aube in 1814 . However , the abdication of Napoleon stopped his military career in the French forces . He resigned his post and returned to Congress Poland , where he joined the army and became the commanding officer of the 2nd Brigade of Mounted Rifles . In 1817 he was nominated the commanding officer of the entire division , but for unknown reasons the document was handed to him only in 1826 . He set up his staff in Łowicz . There he greeted the outbreak of the November Uprising . Together with his division he arrived to Warsaw and subordinated himself to the Provisional Government and General Józef Chłopicki . Following the latter ' s resignation , Klicki briefly served as a deputy Commander - in - Chief and since December 18 , 1830 , was a member of the War Council . As his support for the uprising was weak and his health was failing , in 1831 he resigned his post and was allowed to leave Poland for Bavaria , where he intended to settle . However , on crossing the Austrian border he was arrested and handed over to the Russians , who imprisoned him and resettled to Kostroma . Released in 1836 , he spent the rest of his life in sanatoria . Stanisław Klicki died April 23 , 1847 in Rome , and was buried at the Campo Verano cemetery .