3nd May 1802, Santo Domingo

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.

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