PULASKI COUNTY/ARKANSAS GENEALOGY TRAILS

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COUNT CASIMIR PULASKI
(1747-1779)

Casimir Pulaski, a Polish soldier, joined George Washington's forces and distinguished himself in the Battle of Brandywine. As a reward, congress appointed him brigadier general in charge of calvary. The following year, he organized an independent corps of cavalry and light infantry which became known as Pulaski's Legion. The legion participated in the siege of Savannah where Pulaski was wounded on Oct. 9, 1779. He died two days later.

In his twenties, Pulaski led an unsuccessful revolt of Polish forces against Russia, which controlled Poland at that time. Arrested and condemned to death, Pulaski fled to Turkey, and eventually reached France. He learned of the American cause through Benjamin Franklin in France, and sailed for America, arriving in July 1777.

Pulaski was born in the province of Podolia, Poland, and began a military career at an early age. By an act of the U. S. Congress, October 11 is observed as Pulaski Day.

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