Tadeusz Kościuszko Travel Bug KEY

To hang out near New Jersey so folks can use it to get into the A Hide for My 3rd Son cache.

Tadeusz Kościuszko certainly had one of the wildest rides of any of the Founding Fathers.  He was born in Poland to minor nobles, but fled to France during a civil war, where he learned engineering.  He eventually rose to the rank of Captain as a teacher in France.  

When he returned to Poland, he found out that there was no money to buy him a place in the Polish army.  Between that, Russian stiffling of Polish freedom, and a thrashing at the hands of his girlfriend's family.  On the run, he was denied a spot in the Prussian army, but then heard about the American War for Independence.

By 1776, he arrived in America.  He immediately went to work building Fort Billingsport in South Jersey, where he worked as a private citizen under the pay of Ben Franklin.  His good work there earned him a commission in the Contintental Army as a Colonal.  He was sent North and, as the leader of the engineers, did much to slow down John Burgoyne's invasion of New York.  Kościuszko built a series of fortifications at Saratoga, and Burgoyne ended up surrendering a British army, the first time that had happened in 800 years.  

He built the fortifications at West Point, then was instrumental in helping Nathaniel Greene's southern army survive against the British army and led troops on active military command until the end of the war.

After the war, he returned to Poland, where he eventually secured a spot in the Polish army.  When Russia invaded, he fought brilliantly, winning in every battle that in engaged in, including the Battle of Dubienka, where his forces were outnumbered about 5 to 1.  But the Polish king let the Russians take control, and Kościuszko again had to flee the country.  He returned to lead a revolt, but it was put down by the Russians with the Prussians, which marked the end of Poland for the next century and a half.  

He returned to the US for a short time (his home in Philadelphia is now a national park, the smallest national park in the country) before living out the rest of his days in France.  He is considered a hero of four modern nations.

This travel bug is the KEY to opening the A Hide for My 3^rd Son cache.  Please keep it in the general New Jersey area so that folks can find it to open up that cache.