About Pulaski County
Count Casmir Pulaski
"I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it..." Pulaski county is named for Count Casimir Pulaski. Count Pulaski joined the fight against the British after he met Benjamin Franklin in Paris. There Franklin convinced Pulaski to support the colonies against England, and Pulaski volunteered his services. Franklin wrote to George Washington on Pulaski's behalf, and Pulaski met General Washington in Philadelphia in 1777. At Brandywine, he came to the aid of Washington's forces and was distinguished as a brilliant military tactician. As a result, Count Pulaski was appointed Brigadier-General in charge of Four Horse Brigades by Congress. During the battles of Germantown and Valley Forge, Pulaski's knowledge of warfare again assisted Washington and his men. In 1778, through Washington's intervention, Congress approved the establishment of the Cavalry and put Pulaski at its head.
The Father of the American Cavalry demanded much of his men and trained them in tested cavalry tactics. He used his own personal finances, when money from Congress was scarce, in order to assure his forces of the finest equipment and personal safety. At the battle of Savannah in 1779, General Pulaski rode forth into battle on his horse but fell to the ground mortally wounded by a blast of cannon. It is said that the General's enemies were so impressed with his courage, that they spared his life and permitted him to be carried from the battlefield. However, two days later, on October 11 Pulaski died.
Today all over the United States there are memorials for Casimir Pulaski. Many parks, streets, statues, and our County bear his name in memory of his courage and commitment to freedom.
Pulaski County is Arkansas’ fifth county, formed on December 15, 1818. It is Arkansas' most populous county, according to the Census of 2010; in 2015, the population was estimated to be 392,664. Pulaski County has sixteen taxing districts, eight municipalities, and five school districts. Pulaski County is home to Little Rock, the state's most populous and capital city.