Plater, Emilja (1806–1831)

Lithuanian patriot who fought to liberate her country. Name variations: Emilija Plater; Emily Plater. Born in 1806 in Vilnius, Lithuania; died in Justinava (near Kapčiamiestis) in 1831 of an unspecified illness; daughter of Count Ksawery and CountessAnna Plater .

Emilja Plater was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 1806, at a time when the country was controlled by the Russian government. From an early age, she desired the forceful liberation of Lithuania, studying military strategy and weaponry, and revering another great female patriot, Joan of Arc . When a number of Lithuanians staged an insurrection, Plater, with her cousin Cezaris, organized an insurgent unit comprising 60 mounted nobles, 280 mounted riflemen, and hundreds of peasants brandishing scythes, planning to overtake the strategically important garrison town of Daugavpils. Russian soldiers thwarted her unit's goal, however, after which Plater participated in the capture of Uk-merge. An attempt to eject the Russians from Vilnius failed, but, following the reorganization of insurgents into military units, Plater received an appointment as commander and was given the rank of captain.

After the battle of Kaunas, during which she barely eluded capture, Plater's regiment retreated towards Šiaulenai. En route it was taken by surprise and defeated, and while many insurgents crossed into Prussia (now Germany) and surrendered, Plater refused to give up. Disguised as a peasant, she was attempting to make her way to nearby Poland, where she hoped to continue fighting against the Russians, when she fell ill and died in 1831.

sources:

Salmonson, Jessica. The Encyclopedia of Amazons. NY: Paragon House, 1991.

Uglow, Jennifer S., ed. and comp. The International Dictionary of Women's Biography. NY: Continuum, 1985.

Howard Gofstein , freelance writer, Oak Park, Michigan