Colonel Thaddeus Kosciuszko
Robert Wilson oil painting, 1980 Col. Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Chief Engineer Continental Army Patriot Military Engineer Born: February 12, 1746, Poland Died: October 15, 1817, Switzerland Full Name: Tadeusz Andrzej Pronounced: Kos-Choos-ko
At Ninety Six: May 22- June 18, 1781 ● 35 years old ● May 22: Convinced Patriot General Greene to set siege to the Loyalist held Star Fort. Kosciuszko reasoned that when the Star Fort fell so would the Loyalist held town and Stockade Fort. ● May 22-23: Night. Directed a battery for cannon to be dug starting at 70 yards from the Star Fort, but workers were attacked by Loyalists. ● May 23-24: Night. Directed trenches to be dug starting at 300 yards from the Star Fort. ● June 4: Directed Maham Tower to be built, 30 feet high and 30 yards from the Star Fort. ● June 9-10: Night. Loyalists attacked the Patriot trenches & Kosciuszko was wounded in “his seat of honor.” ● June 20: Left Ninety Six with General Greene.
Painting depicts Kosciuszko with the Maham Tower, siege trenches, map of the Star Fort, and sextant used in mapping. There are towns in Mississippi & Texas, and a county in Indiana named for Colonel Kosciuszko. |
Did You Know?
Ninety Six got its name around 1730 because it was believed to be 96 miles from here to Keowee, which was a Lower Cherokee town, near where Clemson, SC is today. You can view the remnants of the Cherokee Path & many other historic roads at Ninety Six National Historic Site.