Kosciuszko, Tadeusz (Thaddeus Kosciusko)

Polish General Tadeusz Kosciuszko was born Feb. 4, 1746, in the Kingdom of Poland in the territory of modern Belarus. He received military training in Warsaw and Paris.
Kosciuszko participated in the liberation movement on two continents. In 1776 he came from Warsaw to America to fight for the American colonists who fought for independence from England. He became an engineer and colonel in the Continental Army artillery troops, built the first fortifications at West Point (West Point, currently in New York, USA). After participating in the war for independence in North America, Kosciuszko was promoted to Brigadier General U.S. Army, in addition, he was given a plot of land and appointed the annual pension.
Beginning 90-s of the XVIII century in Poland was characterized by the rise of the national liberation movement against the background of internal anarchy. In 1792 Kosciuszko returned to his homeland and fought valiantly, but unsuccessfully against the Russian troops who invaded on Polish soil.
In 1794 Kosciuszko is a dictator and commander of the Polish army and successfully relieve the siege of Warsaw by Russian and Prussian troops. October 10, 1794 his army, numbering 7,000 men, was defeated by 16,000-strong Russian army under Matseevich (Maciejowice). In this battle Kosciuszko was wounded and taken prisoner.
In 1796, Kosciuszko was released from the fortress. By this time the Polish state ceased to exist and its territory was divided between Russia and Prussia. Kosciusko went to America and spent some time in Philadelphia. Unlike many of the Polish patriot, he refused to serve under the authority of Napoleon Bonaparte. Tadeusz Kosciuszko died in Switzerland on Oct. 15, 1817.

WWC Team