On October 11, 1929, the United States officially celebrated Casimir Pulaski Memorial Day for the first time. Congress declared the holiday to honor the famed Revolutionary War general who succumbed to his wounds suffered in the Siege of Savannah on this day in 1779. The holiday stands as one of countless memorials, statues, and observances honoring the immigrant Polish general who, while having his moments as a heroic figure of the revolution, was not without controversy. Not to mention that many Americans wouldn’t be able to even pick his portrait out of a lineup. Who was this man that we still honor today with his own day, and why does he deserve it?
Casimir Pulaski, or Kazimierz Pulaski in his native Polish, was born into a political family in Warsaw in 1745. His father became involved with the revolutionary movement against Russia that was growing in Poland, and as young Casimir came of age, he joined up as well. By the age of 24, Pulaski commanded his own unit of cavalrymen and grew to be recognized as a feared opponent in battle. Regardless of his success, he often found himself clashing with the orders he received from his revolutionary commanders and after a few years of service, he left the movement for greener pastures.
He seemed to be on the hunt for any military action he could find. This took him to the Ottoman Empire where he tried to raise a unit with which to return to Poland, but with the Russians victorious there it was all he could do to escape with his life. Fleeing further west, he tried to join the French army but was rebuffed. His luck changed when the 18 year-old Marquis de Lafayette and Benjamin Franklin heard of a young war hero seeking military engagement. They quickly recruited Pulaski and shipped him across the sea in 1777 to Massachusetts to join the American revolutionary struggle.
He showed up in General Washington’s camp in August bearing papers of introduction from Franklin, stating he was one of the foremost cavalrymen in Europe and that Washington should take him seriously. Washington was unable to commission him an officer without Congressional approval, and Congress had larger issues to deal with, so Pulaski stayed with Washington and his army while he waited. But before Congress would act, the Battle of Brandywine broke out. Taking the initiative, Pulaski took charge of a group of soldiers and prevented what would have been a rout of the Continental Army Cavalry, and some say he even prevented Washington’s death or capture at the hands of the British. Pulaski became nationally recognized for his heroics and Congress commissioned him a Brigadier General just days later.
Similar to his experiences in Poland, Pulaski found himself frequently in disagreement with his superiors. He argued that the army should continue activities through the brutal winter of 1777-1778, but his request was ignored by the command. He also pushed for the creation of a dedicated cavalry unit under his command, but this too was rebuffed. By the next March, Pulaski was disenchanted enough to resign his post. He moved further south, repeating his request for a cavalry unit to General Horatio Gates who was more accommodating and granted his assent to the proposal. After getting his way, Pulaski was reinstated as a general and got down to work.
Pulaski raised his cavalry unit in Baltimore, where they would be headquartered and complete much of the rigorous training Pulaski demanded. Another bit of intrigue arose when Congress did not send enough funds to meet Pulaski’s demands for his unit, and so Pulaski reportedly paid out of his own pocket for his soldiers’ equipment. There were allegations that Pulaski also unfairly requisitioned supplies from the locals, but the charges were never settled before his death. His troops saw their first action as a unit in southern New Jersey where they were met with stiff resistance and suffered widespread losses. They spent the winter in New Jersey, before traveling south to join the Siege of Savannah.
With their base established in nearby Charleston, the Continental Army was besieging British-occupied Savannah with hopes of retaking the city. Pulaski led a few skirmishes after his arrival, but they were largely unsuccessful. His chance to shine came with the arrival of French soldiers to assist in the efforts to remove the occupying force. Pulaski was placed in charge of the combined cavalry force, but was struck by grape shot from a cannon during the battle on October 9. He lay unconscious for two days before succumbing to his wounds.
Pulaski was remembered as a hero who selflessly came to America to fight for the cause of revolution. While this was certainly true, Pulaski always seemed to be more interested in being a career soldier and fighting for whomever would take him rather than championing a specific cause. He had been at war in one way or another since he was a teenager and it was all he knew. Regardless of his intentions, Pulaski was no doubt an asset to the revolutionary cause, at least when chose to be.
Even with his middling record in the war, Pulaski earned himself a glut of posthumous recognition. Much of this recognition coincided with large movements of Polish immigrants to America in the early 20th century. Pulaski, who was perhaps less famous among Americans in those days than he is now, become a representation of the best kind of relationship between Americans and Poles. The modern holiday, and the accompanying parades in Chicago and New York (Chicago’s is celebrated on Pulaski’s birthday rather than his death anniversary), should be thought of more as a Polish-American cultural celebration rather than a dedicated memorial to the man himself.
