Who was Casamir Pulaski?
It was a star-crossed love-affair between Casamir and Savannah.
You don’t have to be in Savannah for long before you notice the name of Pulaski. Casamir Pulaski to be exact. It’s all over the place. Perhaps the most notable location being the obelisk monument in the middle of Monterey Square.
It’s rather impressive, to say the least - and the final resting place of the Revolutionary War hero - who you probably learned about in high school and then promptly forgot about after mid-terms. But he’s worth remembering, and Savannah’s pretty passionate about that.
Casamir Pulaski was a much-lauded Polish general who achieved grand success in the 1770s fighting for his homeland’s liberty against eastern European forces.
He gained so much recognition for his bravery and might on the battlefield, in fact, that Benjamin Franklin convinced American patriot forces to send for Pulaski, urging him to come fight with them against the British.
As we discuss in our book, Hidden History of Savannah,
“Pulaski answered the call to arms, and was a grand supporter of the American Dream. His specialty was in calvary forces, and he was instrumental in fighting for the importance of, and ultimately establishing, a strong calvary for the Revolutionaries.
Casimir was so dedicated to the cause, he wrote to General George Washington, “I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it.”
Ironically enough, it was after that statement, Casamir met George Washington on the battlefield, where he managed to save the future President from British forces. Many credit Casamir’s calvary skills for directly saving Washington’s life, and ultimately the success of the Revolution. He was named a Brigadier General for his trouble.
Tragically, Pulaski’s legacy ended in the Siege of Savannah, where he sustained fatal blows while trying to encourage waning troops. He died in the midst of battle on October 9, 1777.”
