are and salvation, all lawless
riots, violence against the prisoners, laying hands on individuals, and
punishing them by death. Whoso does not betake himself to the government
by the proper way is a rebel, a disturber of the public peace, and as
such must be punished. You whose ardent courage is fain to take action
for the country, employ it against the enemies, come to my camp; we will
receive you here as brothers."[1]

Many responded to this call, Kilinski, the shoemaker, with the cap of
liberty planted rakishly on his head, as we may see him in his
portraits, went to Kosciuszko with the proposal that he should "catch"
the lower classes of the town. Kosciuszko gave his hearty consent, and a
regiment of these was formed with Kilinski as their colonel. Kosciuszko
was always singularly happy in his dealings with men and with the
extraordinarily involved and delicate situations in which the domestic
affairs of his country at this difficult period of her history placed
him. His tact and common sense saved the situation. The guilty were
punished. Order was restored.

The Russian and Prussian armies were advancing to invest Warsaw. At
Kosciuszko's bidding the President of the town, Zakrzewski, whom
Kosciuszko addresses as his "beloved" Zakrzewski, had already in
stirring language summoned the citizens to take their share in Warsaw's
defence.

[Footnote 1: K. Bartoszewicz, _History of Kosciuszko's Insurrection_.]

"Old men and young men, mothers and children, masters and servants,
convents and confraternities, and all, in whatsoever you have of
strength and health, present yourselves on the ramparts of the city with
spades, shovels, barrows, baskets. You who are rich forget your
comforts. You who are highborn forget your rank. Stand with the poor and
hard-working citizens so that you who have drawn life from one soil
shall on one soil taste the fruits of your safety, liberties, and
possessions."[1]

[Footnote 1: A. Choloniewski, _Tadeusz Kosciuszko_.]

Crowds toiled on the ramparts, singing over their spades the song then
sung throughout Poland, calling the Pole to the labour without which he
would be torn from his brothers, "a prisoner on his own soil." The sons
of noble families enrolled themselves in Kilinski's burgher regiment,
eager to serve under his command. On the 13th of July the Russian and
Prussian armies, the King of Prussia being present with the latter, were
seen from the walls of Warsaw. The alarm was gi