The epoch times

West Point Time Capsule Sparks Revolutionary War Figure Curiosity

The Rediscovery of Thaddeus Kosciuszko: Unveiling a 200-Year-Old⁣ Time Capsule

The ​recent discovery of a ⁢nearly 200-year-old time ‌capsule at West Point ⁤has rekindled the ‌public’s interest in​ Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a key figure in the Revolutionary War and the⁣ subsequent ⁤founding ⁤of the nation.

Measuring about one square ⁤foot and made of lead, the time capsule was found ⁤in the base of ​the Kosciuszko⁣ Monument during renovation​ in May.

“Possibly paper, tooth, or bones,”⁣ Mr. Hudson told The ⁣Epoch Times. “If you ‌get water infiltration 200 or ⁣150 ​years ⁢ago, over time, it is going to fall apart … and you are ⁢left with dust.”

More research will be conducted on ‍the silts to determine their original forms, ⁣he said.

Another clue is the stamp ⁢of the ‌manufacturer on the lid of the box, ⁢which, if tracked down, may lead to ‍new information about ‍what was once buried inside the Kosciuszko Monument, ⁤he added.

Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves: ⁢Kosciuszko’s Crucial Role in the Founding of the Nation

Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves, the Dean of the Academic Board at West⁢ Point, said at the ceremony that⁤ Kosciuszko⁤ played a crucial role in the​ founding of the nation.

“He had a strong ⁣passion ⁤for freedom and equality,‍ and his considerable military and engineering skills would eventually bring ⁣him to the​ United States in that most seminal year of 1776,” ⁢he said.

After two years on the ‍battleground, he⁣ was named the Chief Engineer⁣ at West​ Point to solidify ⁣what was considered at the time the most important military fortification for the Continental Army ‍before returning to fight under‌ Gen.‍ Nathaniel Greene in the South‍ in 1780.

A sword ‌of⁣ Tadeusz ‍Kosciuszko, the chief engineer who created the interlocking fortification system​ known as ‌Fortress West Point, was on ⁢display ‍at the ⁣Thayer Hall in West Point, N.Y., on Aug. 28, 2023. (Cara Ding/The‍ Epoch Times)

“Throughout the ​war, he carried ⁣a sword, and on his sword, there ​was an inscription,” Brig. Gen. Reeves said. “It ⁣says, ‘Do not ⁤draw me without reason; ⁣do not sheathe me without⁢ honor.’”

The inscription was in Spanish and read ‘no⁢ me ‌embainenes sin honor.’

After the Revolutionary War,‍ Kosciuszko returned to Poland and fought for ⁤many years for independence in his‍ homeland.

While in Europe, he often wrote to Thomas Jefferson about starting a military academy for American officers, so​ much so that Brig. Gen. Reeves called him the⁣ founding father of​ West Point.

U.S. Military Academy West Point‍ in West ⁢Point,‍ N.Y., on‌ Aug. 28, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch‌ Times)

In 1829, 10 years after Kosciuszko’s death,‍ a monument ⁣of his was completed and erected at‌ West ‍Point; it was ‍estimated that‌ the‍ time⁣ capsule was‌ put ‌inside around the same time.

A statue of Kosciuszko was placed on top of the monument in 1913.

As restoration work continues, the academy plans to place a new time capsule inside the monument base to ​leave to future generations,‌ according⁣ to Mr. Hudson.

Repair work is expected to finish ⁤in the summer of next ​year.



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