Leon Król (1842 -1927) was born at Rogalin near Kórnik to the family of the manor administrator of Count Raczyński and was educated to become a saddler and harness-maker in Kórnik, Poznan, and Łowicz. In 1863, Leon joined Leon Young’s insurgent detachment. After the defeat suff ered by Brdów on 29 May, he subsequently came under the command of Alojzy Seyfried, Ludwik Oborski, and Edmund Taczanowski. He fought in the battles of Babsk (17 May), Niewiesz (23 May), Sędziejowice (26 August; it was here that he rendered outstanding services), and Kruszyna (29 August), where Taczanowski’s detachment was finally smashed. He then participated in insurgent gendarmerie actions at Łask and Szadek, and in the battle of Jeżew on 5 December 1863. Having returned to his family area, he was subsequently punitively conscripted into the Prussian army, served in several campaigns, and finally settled at Kórnik. After Poland regained independence in 1918, Leon Król was promoted to the rank of a lieutenant, received a uniform as a military veteran, and participated in the production of one of the first Polish historical fi lms. Many of his descendants still live in Kórnik today. The text of his unfi nished memories of 1863, written in 1911, has survived in the Kórnik Library in the form of a typescript copy, and was edited by Stanisława Andrejewska.