Kosciuszko, Thaddeus
Brigadier General Thaddeus Kosciuszko
In 1776 Thaddeus Kosciuszko, born in Poland on February 12, 1746, joined the American fight for freedom and entered the Continental Army as a volunteer. Kosciuszko was recognized as a military genius, which earned him the rank of Colonel of Engineers.
After Colonial forces had been defeated at Ticonderoga, they retreated south to the areas located in Saratoga County. Realizing that certain areas would be ideal for fortification Koscuszko proceeded to engineer and construct an impregnable fortress and the Battle of Saratoga soon followed.
The Continental Army’s victory in what is historically considered to be one of the ten most important battles in history, and the turning point of the Revolution, was mainly attributed to Kosciuszko’s brilliant engineering skills, especially the fortification of the highlands of West Point. In 1783, the United States Congress rewarded him with citizenship, a pension and the rank of Brigadier General.
Upon retirement, Kosciuszko named Thomas Jefferson as the Executor of his estate, to free, educate and provide for the maintenance of slaves, which did not materialize due to legal issues. Unable to return to a free and independent Poland, he relocated to Switzerland where he died on October 15, 1817.
The naming of the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Bridge, crossing the Mohawk River, which adjoins the Counties of Albany and Saratoga, is in recognition of the American people’s gratitude for his efforts during the American Revolution.