Warwick Township, PA. The rattle of musketry and thunder of Cannon, with sounds of fife and drum, presented a vivid and exciting moment as Gen. Casimir Pulski presented a letter from Benjamin Franklin to General Washington and reported for duty at the 225th anniversary celebration of Washington's Encampment at the Moland House in Warwick Township, Bucks County on August 11.

Reenactors of the Second Regiment of the Continental Line, the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment and the First Continental Regiment of Foot, saluted General Pulaski, portrayed by Peter Obst, as they fired volleys from their flintlock muskets which echoed down the Little Neshaminy Creek Valley.

After singning of the national anthems of the United States and Poland, Edward Pinkowski, author, historian and researcher, who donated a bronze plaque to the Moland House to commemorate this historic event, stepped forward to unveil the marker which read:

On August 20, 1777, while the main body of Washington's army was encamped around this stone dwelling on Little Neshaminy Creek, a Polish nobleman, born Kazimierz (Casimir) Pulaski in Warsaw, Poland, on March 6, 1745, arrived and presented a letter from Benjamin Franklin to General Washington, whom he met here for the first time, offering to fight and die for American freedom.

Pulaski also delivered a letter to Lafayette from his wife in France. Lafayette had recently joined the encampment where he received the rank of major general. The following day Washington and Lafayette both wrote letters of introduction here for Pulaski to take to the Continental Congress which, several weeks later, appointed him the first general of the cavalry forces. The Polish general lost his life on October 15, 1779, six days after he was wounded in the siege of Savannah, Georgia.
Gift of Edward Pinkowski, August 2002

Warren Williams, president of the Warwick Township Historical Society was master of ceremonies and introduced U.S. Congressman Jim Greenwood, Bucks County Judge Rufe, Chairman of the Bucks County Commissioners Michael Fitzpatrick and L. Graham of the Pennsylvania Cincinnati Society. The invocation was said by a member of the historical society and the American and Polish National flags were presented by the Pennsylvania Regiments. Jacqueline Schneck was program director. Lee Reed protrayed General George Washington and Peter Obst, General Pulaski.

A number of Polish-Americans including Thomas Duszak, Head of Cataloging Section, Technical Collecting Services, State Library of Pennsylvania, also attended the ceremonies.

The program also highlighted tours of the Moland House, demonstrations of camp life, cooking, military drilling, weapons and colonial clothing and carpentry among others.

(l. to r.) Congressman James Greenwood, Polish Consul Anna Pelka, Peter Obst (as Casimir Pulaski), and historian Edward Pinkowski stand behind the plaque that will be installed at Moland House to commemorate the historic meeting of Washington and Pulaski.