A Sample from 'Boston 1775'

'Boston 1775' is an excellent blog with information about the American Revolutionary War era. The following paragraph is a quote from a particular blog entry entitled 'Jefferson, Kosciuszko, and a Matter of Money.'

"Thaddeus Kosciuszko’s return to the United States in 1797 initiates the narrative we present in this paper. Although crippled by deep wounds, Kosciuszko returned in triumph to reside in Philadelphia as a revolutionary hero. Americans applauded him for his leadership in Poland’s vain uprising from 1792 to 1794. Americans cherished him in the hearts and memories that linked his glory during the American Revolution with their anxieties over the conservative policies of President John Adams. Kosciuszko had more than adulation in mind; he intended to collect some $12,000 plus interest in overdue pay from the American Revolution. The American Congress, aware of his enormous popular appeal, quickly voted to allot the back pay, which, with interest rose to over $15,000."

The post references Kosciuszko, a Polish national and American Revolutionary War hero, as well as Thomas Jefferson and contains a little known historical tidbit. It also illustrates how the matter of slavery would tarnish the records of otherwise noble historic figures.