Pulaski Monument

     The Pulaski Monument, erected in 1853-1854, 75 years after the death of Pulaski, stood here in Monterey Square for 142 years before being disassembled for repairs in September, 1996. The granite steps and base blocks remain here under cover. The marble relief panels and rectangular column are being repaired at the Historic Railroad Shops, 601 West Harris St. under the direction of Conservation Technology Group, Newport, RI and will be returned to service. The ornate capital and statue of Liberty will be replicated as they are too fragile to withstand continued exposure to the elements. The originals are on display at the Savannah History Museum, 303 MLK Jr. Blvd. along with the original cornerstone dedicated in 1825 by Lafayette, and the time capsule from 1853.

Pulaski

     General Count Kazimierz Pulaski, renowned for his brilliant cavalry improvisations during the battles of the Bar Confederacy was recruited in Paris by Benjamin Franklin for the American cause. He was commissioned Brigadier General, was the Father of the American Cavalry, and fought bravely with Washington at Brandywine and Germantown. He was mortally wounded on October 9, 1779 by grapeshot while leading a cavalry charge at the Siege of Savannah. He was transported to Greenwich Plantation for evacuation to Charleston, but died of his wound on October 15, 1779 before the Wasp sailed. There is a popular belief that he was buried at sea but there is growing evidence to support the theory that he was buried on the plantation. His alleged remains were exhumed by Col. William P. Bowen and three physicians in 1853 and interred in the Pulaski Monument during its construction along with the original cornerstone of the monument dedicated in 1825 by General Lafayette and a time capsule.

Pulaski's Remains

     General Pulaski's alleged remains were again exhumed during the disassembly of the Pulaski Monument in 1996. The effort to positively identify the remains is led by Chatham County Coroner Dr. James C. Metts and privately funded by Edward Pinkowski, author, newspaper editor, and authority on Pulaski. To date all the physical evidence and newly discovered documentary evidence is consisteant with the remains being those of Pulaski. DNA has been extracted from the savannah remains, and an attempt will be made to match the DNA of a known grandniece in Poland.

Monument Conservation

     The Pulaski Monument is one of Savannah's principal monuments in an eclectic collection of 42 monuments and other outdoor public art. No city has before undertaken the unprecedented task of comprehensive conservation of its entire collection. The Pulaski Monument is a part of that undertaking. The Pulaski Monument and the Confederate Monument, located directly south in Forsyth Park, will be the most difficult to save. While the City of Savannah has contributed most of the funds raised for the project, grassroots support is critical to the success of the Monuments Project. Private contributions help us compete for grants, such as the Georgia Heritage 2000 Program grant received for the Pulaski Monument from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division.
     The Savannah Foundation, a community foundation, facing this Square at 428 Bull Street, is collecting donations for both the direct conservation of the monuments and the Endowment of the monuments for their future maintenance. All donations are tax deductible. Your support will speed the return of the Pulaki Monument.