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The following article appeared in the Spring 1996 issue (Vol. 8, No. 1) of The Belarusian Review
By George Stankevich
April 24, 1996, marks the 202nd anniversary of the 1794 anti-Russian uprising in Belarus. This revolt took place in the twilight of Belarusian sovereignty, just before the Polish-Litvanian Recpaspalitaja (Republic), which included the present Belarus, underwent its third and final division between Russia, Prussia and Austria. During this period, the political power in the Republic belonged to the nobility-controlled parliament (Sojm) with the elected king (in Poland) and/or the grand duke (in Litva) being essentially just a figure head.
The activities of the Sojm were paralyzed by the misuse of the liberum veto ("free veto") which often allowed a single parliament member to reject the parliament's or king's decisions. This kind of anarchy led to the gradual political and economic decline of the Republic and to defeats in wars against expansionist neighboring powers (primarily Russia and Prussia).
However, the sweeping social and economic changes, taking place in Europe at the end of the 18th century, as well as the influence of the French Revolution, also led to political reforms within the Republic. On May 3, 1791, a new constitution was adopted that effectively ended the political anarchy and provided more favorable conditions for the economic development of the nation. Yet some separate institutions were retained by the Grand Duchy of Litva, such as its own army, numbering about 15,000 men.
The new constitution was immediately opposed by the class of magnates (powerful nobles), as well as by landless nobility that felt they were being deprived of their electoral rights. In 1792 representatives of these groups formed a "confederation" in the Ukrainian town of Tarhavica, and appealed to Russia's Czarina Catherine II for help, thus inviting another Russian intervention.
The ensuing war ended with the second division of the Republic. The Russian troops occupied the southern part of the Poxacak voivodship*, the remaining regions of Eastern Belarus, the Miensk voivodship and parts of Western Belarus.
In July of 1792, Litvanian troops retreated west of the Buh river into Poland. The Polish king Stanisxa` A`hust formally joined the anti-reform confederation that was now meekly executing Russian orders. The existing slavery institution, due to be abolished by the new constitution, was now re-instated.
Within two years, the supporters of the constitution staged an uprising against the Russian army and "confederate" forces. The uprising began in Poland in March of 1794 under the leadership of Gen. Tadevuss Kaxciusska (Thaddeus Kosciusko). During the next month, the revolt also erupted in Litva's capital Vilnia, where the Supreme Litvanian Council assumed charge of military operations. In Western Belarus and present-day Lithuania, the opposition was organized primarily by the left-wing nobility bloc, headed by Col. Jakub Jasinski.
The revolt was actively supported by landless and impoverished nobility who were overwhelmingly in favor of restoring Litva's sovereignty. They had been gradually abandoning the feudal land-owning economy of the past and turning to manufacturing activities. The progressive constitution promised a better future for them, as well as for the townspeople, who resented the policies and excesses of the Russian occupation forces.
The Belarusian peasants, who experienced brutal treatment by the Russian military and who hoped for the eventual abolition of slavery (as promised by the reformers), also supported the rebellion. Being aware of these feelings, the uprising leaders staged a mobilization of recruits and volunteers in the villages. At the outset of the rebellion, regular forces of the Grand Duchy of Litva numbered about 8,000 men and were greatly outnumbered by the Russian regular army. However, new units, comprised of recruits and volunteers, allowed the rebels to wage many successful battles and skirmisheson the territory of Belarus.
Yet, five months later, the revolt was crushed by numerically superior and better armed Russian troops. In addition to waging armed struggle, the leaders of the uprising in Belarus and today's Lithuania had to overcome obstacles of political character, such as the treacherous attitude of some of the commanders of the regular Litvanian forces, who tacitly supported the "confederate" cause. Also, the Supreme Litvanian Council in Vilnia was often at odds with the Polish, Warsaw-based leadership of the uprising. The Council insisted on independent command of the forces operating in Litva. Eventually, the conflict was resolved by the Council agreeing to execute the orders issued by Gen. Kaxciusska personally, and not those of the Warsaw provisional government.
General Kaxciusska was eventually defeated on October 10, 1794, in the battle of Maciejowice in Poland and taken prisoner, and Colonel Jasinski lost his life there. In 1795 the Polish-Litvanian Republic experienced its third and final division, and disappeared from the map of Europe. The anti-Russian uprising of 1794 promoted ideas of social justice and civic equality. It also woke up the feelings of dignity and national awareness in the Belarusian people. As such, it was widely supported in Belarus. It marked the first time since the onset of Russia's military expansion that all layers of Belarus' population took part in the revolt: middle and poorer nobility, peasants and townspeople. It also represented the first link in a series of anti-Russian uprisings that followed in 1831 and 1863.
The person of General Tadevuss Kaxciusska, the overall leader of the 1794 uprising, is of special interest to us today. First of all, he was born (February 12, 1746) in the homestead ("falvarak") of Mieraco`sscyna, near Kosava in today's Horadnia region of Western Belarus. He descended from an ancient Belarusian Orthodox family; his grandfather, Kastux (hence the surname Kaxciusska) became first a Protestant and then a Catholic. Even now this region, between Sxonim, Kosava and Lachavicy, is populated by many Kaxciusskas, some being Catholic, others Orthodox.
Secondly, in the second half of the 18th century, Kaxciusska joined the American Continental Army as a volunteer, and contributed his military skills and expertise to the success of the revolutionary war in North America. He planned and built fortifications in Philadelphia and Ticonderoga, as well as the fortress in West Point. In 1783 he was rewarded with U.S. citizenship and awarded the rank of brigadier general. He performed excellent service and at the end of the war received the thanks of Congress, with a brevet of major general. U.S. President Thomas Jefferson described him as: "the purest son of freedom I ever saw - of freedom not only for the select few, but for all." In 1784 Kaxciusska returned to Europe. After the unsuccessful uprising of 1794, Kaxciusska spent some time in Russian prisons from which he was released in 1796. In 1798 he came to Paris, where he spurned Napoleon's offer of collaboration. He died in Switzerland on October 15, 1817. In 1818 his body was moved to Cracow, where he was buried in the cathedral.
This year, February 12, Belarus observed his 250th birth anniversary.
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