KOSCIUSZKO, TADEUSZ ANDRZEJ BONAWEN TURA (1746-1817), (kos-i-iis'ke., Polish kes-chosh'k6), Polish soldier and statesman, son of Ludwik Kosciuszko, sword-bearer of the palatinate of Brzesc, was born in Mereczowszczyno. On entering the corps of cadets at Warsaw, he attracted the notice of Prince Adam Casimir Czartoryski, by whose influence in 1769 he was sent abroad at the expense of the state to complete his mili tary education. In Germany, Italy and France he studied dili gently, completing his course at Brest, where he learnt fortification and naval tactics, returning to Poland in 1774 with the rank of captain of artillery. While engaged in teaching the daughters of the Grand Hetman, Sosnowski of Sosnowica, drawing and mathe matics, he fell in love with the youngest of them, Ludwika, with whom he planned to elope, but was wounded and ejected by her father's retainers (1776). His wooing of Tekla Zurowska in 1791 ended little more happily.
In 1776 he entered the army of the United States as a volun teer, and brilliantly distinguished himself, especially at New York and Yorktown. Washington promoted Kosciuszko to the rank of a colonel of artillery and made him his adjutant. His humanity and charm of manner made him moreover one of the most popular of the American officers. In 1783 Kosciuszko was rewarded for his services and his devotion to the cause of American independence with the thanks of Congress, the privilege of American citizenship, a considerable annual pension with landed estates, and the rank of brigadier-general, which he retained in the Polish service.
In the war following upon the proclamation of the constitution of May 3, 1791 (see POLAND : History), Kosciuszko took a lead ing part, distinguishing himself as divisional commander at Zielence and Dubienka. When the king acceded to the Targo wicians, Kosciuszko with many other Polish generals threw up his commission and retired to Leipzig, which speedily became the centre of the Polish emigration. In Jan. 1793 he visited Paris to attempt to win France for the cause of Poland, an episode which afterwards gave France's enemies an excuse to prejudice Europe against her for alleged Jacobinism. On his return to Leipzig Kosci uszko was invited by the Polish insurgents to take the command of the national armies, with dictatorial power. He hesitated at first, and settled down near Cracow to await events. When, how ever, he heard that the insurrection had already broken out, and that the Russian armies were concentrating to crush it, Kos ciuszko hastened to Cracow and on March 24, 1794, his arms were consecrated according to ancient custom at the church of the Capucins, by way of giving the insurrection a religious sanction incompatible with Jacobinism. The same day, amidst a vast con
course of people in the market-place, Kosciuszko took an oath of fidelity to the Polish nation; swore to wage war against the enemies of his country , but protested at the same time that he would fight only for the independence and territorial integrity of Poland.
From March 24—April 1 Kosciuszko remained at Cracow organ izing his forces, which were drawn almost entirely from the people and humbler gentry. On April 3 he defeated a superior Russian force at Raclawice, a victory which brought crowds of waverers into his camp. Owing to the poverty and unprepared condition of the country, he had, however, to remain long on the defensive. On June 4 he at last marched against General Denisov, whom he encountered the next day at Szczekociny. Kosciuszko had been at great pains to avoid provoking Austria or Prussia. Neverthe less, Prussian troops had joined the Russian, and Kosciuszko's force of 14,000 was heavily defeated and driven back on Warsaw, with fearful losses. A week later another Polish division was defeated at Kholm ; Cracow was taken by the Prussians on the 22nd of June; and the mob at Warsaw broke upon the gaols and murdered the political prisoners. Kosciuszko summarily punished the ringleaders of the massacres and had io,000 of the rank and file drafted into his camp, which measures had a quieting effect. But now dissensions broke out among the members of the Polish government, and it required all the tact of Kosciuszko to restore order amidst this chaos of suspicions and recriminations. At this very time too he had need of all his ability and resource to meet the external foes of Poland. Superior Russian and Prussian forces invested Warsaw on July 9. Kosciuszko, indeed, conducted the defence of the city with brilliance and success, but elsewhere his generals were outmanoeuvred and defeated in detail by Suvarov, who had advanced to Fersen's support. On Oct. zo Kosciuszko attacked Fersen at Maciejowice. But the support on which he relied failed to arrive. The Polish army of 7,00o was almost an nihilated by the 16,000 Russians; and Kosciuszko, seriously wounded and insensible, was made a prisoner on the field of battle. The long credited story that he cried "Finis Poloniae !" as he fell is a fiction.