The Painting Above is Entitled

‘The Death of General Casimir Pulaski,’

By Artist Stanislaw Batowski.

It Proudly Hangs

In Chicago’s Polish Museum of America.

Today is Casimir Pulaski Day

A Holiday in the State of Illinois

My educator spouse has the day off

As do Illinois’ school girls and boys

Pulaski was born near Warsaw

On March 4th, in the year of 1748

And by the extremely young age of 15

He was a Freedom Fighter in his native state

He then met Benjamin Franklin in Paris

He learned of America’s struggle to be free

So he very quickly offered his military skills

And soon became, The Father of our Cavalry

Leading the charge in Savannah

He was felled by a British cannon blast

Casimir Pulaski died at the young age of 32

But for me, his courageous spirit will always last

And being of proud Polish American descent

I have always been fascinated by this valiant man

And being a horse enthusiast, and a rider all of my life

The fact he was the Father of our Cavalry, to me is grand

I, for one, learn something from History, every day,

And I, for one, love Earth’s truly rich ethnic diversity;

Yet, many in America today, would brand him an alien,

Although many like him, died for us, to help make us free

The Polish Father of the American Cavalry demanded much from his men, and he trained them in tested cavalry tactics that he had learned in his homeland. He even used his own personal finances when money from our Congress was extremely scarce, in order to provide American forces with the finest equipment available.

It was at the battle of Savannah in 1779 that General Pulaski, leading the charge on horseback, fell gravely wounded by the blast of a British cannon.

The British were so impressed with his courage that they spared his life, and they allowed him to be carried from the battlefield onto his ship, The Wasp. Two days later, on October 11, 1779, General Casimir Pulaski died from his wounds, and he was buried at sea.

I grew up near Pulaski Road, one of Chicago’s oldest arteries, which is named after him.  And every time that my grandfather and I rode that old city bus down old Pulaski Road together, my grandfather would proudly proclaim, “This is Pulaski’s Road, Edju; he helped pave it.  Don’t ever forget that.”

And, I never have.

©2008, Mr. Ed