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David 11-07-2009 12:10 AM

Revolutionary War hero becomes honorary US citizen
 
AP


WASHINGTON – Finally, Gen. Casimir Pulaski became an American citizen on Friday, 230 years after the Polish nobleman died fighting for the as yet-unborn United States.

President Barack Obama signed a joint resolution of the Senate and the House that made Pulaski an honorary citizen.

Pulaski's contribution to the American colonies' effort to leave the British Empire began with a flourish. He wrote a letter to Gen. George Washington, the Revolution's leader, with the declaration: "I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it."

Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Polish-American, had been pushing for the honorary citizenship since 2005. He lives in Cleveland, which has many other citizens of Polish extraction.

"Pulaski made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, and he deserves nothing but the highest honor and recognition for his service," Kucinich said then.

Washington had heard of the young Pole from Benjamin Franklin, an urbane traveler who had been Washington's first ambassador to France. Franklin told Washington of Pulaski's exploits that had made him "renowned throughout Europe for the courage and bravery he displayed in defense of his country's freedom."

The revolutionaries' top general let the young nobleman hire onto the brash fight against the European superpower, and Pulaski made a name for himself as a skilled horseman, eventually to be known as the "father of the American cavalry."

He died before the British were driven away. In October 1779, he led a cavalry assault to save the important Southern port of Savannah, Ga., was wounded and taken aboard the American ship USS Wasp. He died at sea two days later.

Americans have honored Pulaski throughout the last two centuries. Counties and streets are named for him.

In 1929 Congress declared Oct. 11 to be Pulaski Day in the United States, a largely forgotten holiday in much of the country. The Continental Congress suggested that a monument be erected in honor of Pulaski, and in 1825 it finally was erected in Savannah.












In this June 23, 2005, file photo a carving of Brig. Gen. Casimir Pulaski is shown on the 54-foot monument to his memory on Monterey Square in Savannah, Ga.

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revwardoc 11-07-2009 10:23 AM

A long overdue action. My wife and in-laws are Polish. I'm sure they'll be pleased.

82Rigger 11-07-2009 12:11 PM

Rev,

Isn't there a Rev War General in Europe who is buried in American soil?

Is that Pulaski or someone else?

revwardoc 11-11-2009 08:57 AM

That would be Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. When he came back to American on what amounted to a farewell tour in from 8/1824 - 9/1825 he had 10 square feet of soil dug up from Breeds Hill and put in his ship as ballast. When he died in 1834 he was buried in that soil. A US flag still flies above his grave and was the only US flag to fly in Paris during the German occupation of WWII.

This past summer a group of American Revolution re-enactors visited the grave and placed a wreath in his honor.

dg13 12-22-2009 05:27 PM

Thank you for the factual story. I had never heard that about Marquis de Lafayette. My Great grandfather Thomas Smith (Va mullitia) was a life guard of Gen George A. Washington (my 3rd Cousin) during the battle of Yorktown. When I researched this story, I found that a Thomas Fear appeared in court for his pension. I then looked up Thomas Fears and found that he too was a life guard during the battle of Yorktown. He served as the life guard of Marquis de Lafayette. They were in the same unit I believe.

Really neat stuff!


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