THE PEASANT PRINCE: THADDEUS KOSCIUSZKO AND THE AGE OF REVOLUTION

Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish-Lithuanian born in 1746, was one of the mostimportant figures of the modern world. Fleeing his homeland after a deathsentence was placed on his head (when he dared court a woman above hisstation), he came to America one month after the signing of theDeclaration of Independence, literally showing up on Benjamin Franklin'sdoorstep in Philadelphia with little more than a revolutionary spirit anda genius for engineering. Entering the fray as a volunteer in the wareffort, he quickly proved his capabilities and became the most talentedengineer of the Continental Army. Kosciuszko went on to construct thefortifications for Philadelphia, devise battle plans that were integral tothe American victory at the pivotal Battle of Saratoga, and designed theplans for Fortress West Point—the same plans that were stolen byBenedict Arnold. Then, seeking new challenges, Kosciuszko asked for atransfer to the Southern Army, where he oversaw a ring of African-Americanspies. A lifelong champion of the common man and woman, he was ahead ofhis time in advocating tolerance and standing up for the rights of slaves,Native Americans, women, serfs, and Jews. Following the end of the war,Kosciuszko returned to Poland and was a leading figure in that nation'sConstitutional movement. He became Commander in Chief of the Polish Armyand valiantly led a defense against a Russian invasion, and in 1794 he ledwhat was dubbed the Kosciuszko Uprising—a revolt of Polish-Lithuanianforces against the Russian occupiers. Captured during the revolt, he wasultimately pardoned by Russia's Paul I and lived the remainder of his lifeas an internationalcelebrity and a vocal proponent for human rights. ThomasJefferson, with whom Kosciuszko had an ongoing correspondence on theimmorality of slaveholding, called him "as pure a son of liberty as I haveever known." A lifelong bachelor with a knack for getting involved indoomed relationships, Kosciuszko navigated the tricky worlds of royalintrigue and romance while staying true to his ultimate passion—thepursuit of freedom for all. This definitive and exhaustively researchedbiography fills a long-standing gap in historical literature with itsaccount of a dashing and inspiring revolutionary figure.