Spotlight: Casimir Pulaski

Casimir Pulaski was a Polish nobleman and military commander who became one of the most important foreign heroes of the American Revolution. Born in Poland in 1745, Pulaski gained military experience fighting for Polish independence against Russian influence. After political upheaval in Poland forced him into exile in France, Pulaski met Benjamin Franklin, who recognized his military talent and recruited him to aid in the American cause. Pulaski arrived in the United States in 1777 and served under General George Washington.  He quickly demonstrated his ability during the Battle of Brandywine outside Philadelphia, where his cavalry skills helped save Washington’s life and protect the Continental Army from a devastating defeat. Shortly thereafter, the Continental Congress appointed Pulaski a Brigadier General and placed him in command of the entire cavalry. He is often referred to as the “Father of the American Calvary” based on the advanced training methods and techniques that he introduced which greatly improved the effectiveness of the Continental Army’s mounted regiments. Pulaski continued to command the calvary until October 1779, when he was mortally wounded while leading a calvary assault against British forces during the Siege of Savannah. He died two days later, on October 11, 1779, at the age of 34. Because of his dedication to both Polish and American independence, Pulaski has been dubbed the “Soldier of Liberty.”  The Pulaski Monument, a 55 foot tall marble monument topped by a replica of the Statue of Liberty, stands on Monterey Square in Savannah, not far from the battlefield where Pulaski was wounded.

Over the years, Pulaski’s legacy has been intertwined with the rich history of Polish-Americans.  In 1929, Congress passed a resolution designating October 11th as General Pulaski Memorial Day, an observation that continues to this day.  The state of Illinois, and especially the city of Chicago with its large Polish population, observes Casimir Pulaski Day as a state holiday on the first Monday of March each year, near Pulaski’s birthday.  Chicago maintains a close connection to the Revolutionary War hero; for example, Pulaski Road is a major north–south street at 4000 West, exactly five miles west of State Street, and Pulaski Park can be found in the West Town neighborhood. However, Pulaski never visited the city, which was just being developed as a permanent settlement at the time of his death in 1779, or the state of Illinois, which was not established until 1818.

Closer to home, Pulaski’s legacy lives on in the Logan County city of Mt. Pulaski, which was founded in 1836.  According to town history, Pulaski was credited with saving the life of the father of one of the town’s founders during the Revolutionary War and the town was named to recognize this heroic act.  Mt. Pulaski, about a 40-minute drive northeast from Springfield, served as the county seat of Logan County from 1848 to 1855, contemporaneous to the time Abraham Lincoln was practicing law across central Illinois. Today, Mt. Pulaski is home to one of two remaining courthouses where Lincoln practiced law. The two-story Mt. Pulaski courthouse sits in the middle of town on the square and has been designated a state historic site. The other courthouse is the Metamora Courthouse near Peoria, also a state historic site. The Mt. Pulaski Courthouse is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m., welcoming visitors who wish to view the second-floor courtroom where Lincoln regularly argued cases.