General Casimir Pulaski

General Casimir Pulaski is a bronze equestrian statue of Casimir Pulaski, a military man born in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He joined the military at a young age, fighting for removal of the king, who was backed by Russia. After his side lost the war, he fled to Paris, where he met Benjamin Franklin. Impressed by Pulaski, Franklin wrote a letter of recommendation to George Washington, suggesting he would be a helpful soldier during the American Revolutionary War. After arriving in the U.S., Pulaski eventually was promoted to Brigadier General and commanded a cavalry unit, the Pulaski's Legion. He died in 1779, due to injuries sustained in battle. In 1903, Congress authorized the installation of a statue honoring two Poles who assisted America in the war: Pulaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko. Each statue was allocated $50,000 for its creation and installation. The person chosen to sculpt the Pulaski statue was Kazimierz Chodziński, who was assisted by architect Albert Randolph Ross. The unveiling and dedication ceremony took place on May 11, 1910, and was attended by thousands of Polish Americans. Prominent attendees included President William Howard Taft, who spoke at the ceremony, and Secretary of War Jacob M. Dickinson, who delivered the keynote speech. The statue is located on the eastern end of Freedom Plaza, near the intersection of 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue N

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