This day (March 6) the first Monday in March - we celebrate Pulaski Day in Illinois.
The U.S. Congress resolved in 1903 to erect a monument in Wash. D.C. of Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski instilling in the minds of 20 century Americans - the larger-than-life figure, achievements and legacy of Gen. Pulaski. Born March 6, 1745 in Warka, Poland, Casimir Pulaski arrived in the United United States in July 1777. By the time he gave the ultimate sacrifice for Liberty and America's quest for it at Savannah, Georgia(Gen. Pulaski was killed in action Oct. 11 1779)-this Polish young officer will save Gen. Washington's life at the Battle of Brandywine in 1777 and be assigned his own contingent-the Pulaski Legion to fight the British. It's important to note that Pulaski was not a mercenary but to put it in his own words "I am here where Freedom is defended". He was not only present but he, voluntarily, offered his services to the American Revolution. As a member of the world's best cavalry, the Polish cavalry, General Casimir Pulaski was admired by American strategists and commanders for his ultra speedy horseback raids on the enemy, his momentum and tactical brilliance. It was the Continental Congress which promoted him to the rank of BG precisely for his military excellence-his skills to reform the American cavalry as a whole. This Polish nobleman whose father Jozef Pulaski initiated the Bar confederacy, an armed effort of Polish military staff to quash Russia's 18 c. invasion onto Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth-earned his fame throughout Europe as a daring and foremost military mind. He is officially revered as the Father of American Cavalry and New York City for instance honors General Pulaski with a special annual parade in October marking the date of his death. Illinois Gov. Dan Walker first signed Pulaski Day into law in 1973, to mark an annual commemoration of the General's birth(March 6, 1745). And it was Gov. James Thompson in 1985 who decreed Pulaski Day a bank and school holiday for all the school districts in IL. This later changed but why not dedicate this day to learning about Gen. Pulaski and Poland's decisive contribution to America's defeat over Great Britain ? Come and join us-here at PMA-online this coming Monday for our annual celebration of the life of General Casimir Pulaski! This rich PMA tradition began in 1996 when our Commemoration was originally held at the Downtown Thompson Center, featuring, among others, Mr. Jan Lorys(then PMA Director and our current Historian)presentation of Pulaski related photos of paintings and illustrations to accompany the narrative. And we have been making this Pulaski Day our most important event of the year ever since! Spring is Here - Come and see our exhibits like the world's famous Pulaski at Savannah painting by Stanislaw Batowski and so much more!
Beatrix Czerkawski
Photos include our PMA Painting masterpiece Pulaski at Savannah by Stanislaw Kaczor Batowski,1933, oil; BG Casimir Pulaski, PMA Archives
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