Polacy pod Gettysburgiem.

Abstract

The article attempted to present the Polish participation in one of the most important battles in the United States history, namely a three-day combat at Gettysburg (July l st to 3rd, 1863). The military actions of the XI Corps of the Potomac Army constitute the core of the presentation. The corps consisted of the biggest number of emigrants from the Vistula and Warta region in Poland. The Polish Legion, formed by Włodzimierz Bonawentura
Krzyżanowski, Fryderyk Chopin’s cousin, in 1861 was one of the regiments of this federal unit. The dignified attitude of Krzyżanowski’s veterans at two vital stages of the battle, namely July l st, during the retreat of the federal army towards the hills to the south of the town, and during the fights at the Cemetery Hill in the evening of the next day, is noteworthy because of the wide-spread although unjust accusations of cowardice addressed to “Germans” (“Dutchmen”) from the XI Corps. Poles could also be found among Confederates although their number was smaller there. Two Louisiana regiments (14 and 15), which constituted part of General E. Johnson’s Confederate division taking part in the Gettysburg battle was also known as the Polish Brigade.