Born on February 1, 1859, to a Polish family in Livonia, (Russian Empire), his family soon moved to the provinces surrounding the Black Sea, possibly as part of the repercussions facing Poles in the aftermath of the failed January Uprising.
He joined the Russian Army, becoming an officer in 1882 with a specialization in engineering. In 1898 he was promoted to the rank of captain. He fought in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and served in Siberia, where he took part in the construction of many roads and bridges. In 1914, soon after the First World War began, he was found guilty of violating the censorship laws, and was sent to the Russian-German front. There he took part in the negotiations for prisoner exchanges with Austria-Hungary, after which he served in units tasked with logistics and fortifications. In 1915 he was promoted to lieutenant general, but did not receive an independent command usually associated with the promotion in rank.
He retired in 1921. Until his death in 1933, he was an activist in many Polish organizations, including the Polish Red Cross, and was the author of many articles and several books. He died on 16 November 1933 and was buried in Nałęczów.
