Due to the lack of sufficient weapons, he ordered the formation of peasant troops armed with war scythes - they went down in history as Scythemen. He also set up units of sharpshooters, precursors of snipers (Kosciuszko used his American experience here - he recruited hunters, foresters, as well as Kurpies, who were famous in the Republic for their shooting skills). Thanks to the attack of the Kosynierzy on the Russian cannons, Kosciuszko's army achieved victory at Raclawice on April 4. To mobilize the peasants to fight, Kosciuszko promulgated the so-called Proclamation of Połaniec, which limited peasants' serfdom and granted them personal freedom.
