He was born in the village of Mereczowszczyzna and was the youngest son of an officer in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Army. Kościuszko designed the defenses of the West Point garrison from 1778–1780 during the height of the Revolutionary War when George Washington considered West Point to be the most important military post in America. On his last trip to Philadelphia, Kosciuszko enlisted Thomas Jefferson as executor of a will directing that his military pay from the Revolution be used to buy the freedom of American slaves and pay for their education.
Do you want to learn more about the Revolutionary war hero? Become a member of the Kosciuszko Foundation and receive a free DVD “Kosciuszko: A Man Before His Time”*. There is no better time than right now to honor a champion of civil rights and pioneer of both countries.
* Limited quantity available. The offer ends at midnight on February 4th, 2020
