I am waiting for a letter from my wife Maria. I miss
her and my children. I don’t remember my children’s
names. Our army is flowing on the ship today.
Nobody of us is knowing where.
DIARY
3rd May 1802
Somewhere on the ocean
Every day is looking the same. Captain gives us new works every day. I
often help in the kitchen. I met legionnaire John. He has 3 children but
doesn’t them.
on the ship there is missing water and food. A lots of soldiers have been
sick for three days. I hope that I will survive till the end of the journey.
I miss four my family, my wife, my children and my country. I joined the
legions to fight for the Polish independence. Now I'm on board, I do not
know where, do not know where I sail, I do not know if I survive.
Another day of the trip
We talk, we remember, watching pictures of our families. We are no is in
our change longer only the Polish Legions only 118th half-brigade of the
French. gen. Leclerc.
...We're already on the land. We put up tents. We isolate the sick. We are
surrounded by beautiful mountains, the sea, coconuts and citrus groves.
Many soldiers fell ill with yellow fever. We do not have doctors. No one can
help them. ... Just some of them died.
In the following days we get combat missions. Every day we are fighting
with the tribes and rebellious slaves in the area. Slaves have a chance to
beat us.
Today General Donat Rochambeau. Leads us he is cruel. He orders us to
kill the hostages. I'm in the battalion, which Polish officer commands. I'm
in the middle of the worst fighting. I do not know whether I’ll survive.
... This is our last hour. I am writing from a makeshift shelter. We are
being attacked from all sides, we can’t escape.
This is the last note, we will write in the notebook. I'm dying, I miss my
homeland and my family. God save them.
Justyna Dudek