A Pole Who Freed America

In 1992, I visit the West Point (NY)
Military Academy (Army) and
peruse a statue with the name of a
          Pole or Russian.
In 1993 I move to Queens
and cross a bridge on the
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway with
the name of the same
          Pole or Russian.
 
KOSCIUSZKO - (Kah-see-ahs-ko)
I need to look up this person.
 
Twenty-four years later (2017),
I watch documentary at 2am
about Kah-see-ahs-ko, 
on public television about the Pole
who helped the Continental Congress
win the American Revolution.
 
He studied at the Royal Military Academy in Warsaw.
He had a military education and was a skilled engineer.
After reading the Declaration of Independence,  he came to America.
He met with Franklin, and the Continental Congress who
            appointed him colonel of engineers.
He planned the defensive strategy for the army in Saratoga,
            the turning point of the American Revolution.
He designed the blueprints for military foundations at West Point.
 
He became friends with Jefferson, and in his will,
Kosciuszko’s estate money was to be used for
the manumission and education in the trades or otherwise
of slaves to help them in their duties as citizens.
 
He was the Prince of Tolerance –
standing up for the rights of European serfs,
African Slaves, Native American Indians,
Jews, Women and all groups
that were disenfranchised.
 
Jefferson called Kosciuszko 
“The purest son of liberty I have ever known.”
BUT,  Jefferson’s did not execute Kosciuszko’s will as promised,
T.J.'s allegiance was stronger to Southern Old Dominion Aristocracy.
Jefferson’s fear of the offending his slave-holding friends was stronger 
           than abandoning his commitment to his compatriot.
The money disappeared…under the nose of the writer of      
          “All men are created equal….”
 
If “the American Fathers” had followed Kosciuszko’s lead, 
how much better would race relations be today
had the writer of the Declaration of Independence
had not broken his promise to the purest son of liberty?
 
On September 30th, 2017,
the Kosciuszko Bridge was felled
after 78 years of service.