By the time of Napoleon, armies all over Europe had heard stories about the Poles.

There was a certain myth surrounding Polish soldiers and the man who led them, who could take on much larger opponents and still remain strong.

The legend originated in 1792.

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According to a press release from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education dated July 19, the War in Defense of the Constitution began in May more than two centuries ago with an attack by the Russian Tsarist army on Poland.

In July, Lieutenant General Tadeusz Kościuszko was ordered to advance with 7,000 to 9,000 Polish soldiers to the Bug River, along the border with present-day Ukraine, the press release said.

Kościuszko was known for his talent in building ramparts, or fortified walls, equipped with cannons. He had spent seven years in the United States during the American Revolutionary War, officials said.

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On July 18, the Tsarist army with thousands of its own soldiers reached the Bug River, after which a gruelling battle eventually led to the withdrawal of the Polish troops during the night, the press release said.

Although the battle was ultimately lost, thousands more Russians died than Poles. The Battle of Dubienka, as it was called, was an example of the strength and perseverance of the Polish forces, officials said. Word spread quickly.

Now, for the first time, evidence of the battle has been found.

Archaeologists and dozens of volunteers gathered at the battle site in June with metal detectors in hopes of finding artifacts from the battle, officials said.

When scanning the lawn, the pinging sounds of the metal detectors were constantly heard. Cannonballs, grape shot, rifle bullets and pieces of cannon were also found at the location, the press release said.

The researchers also discovered pieces left behind by the soldiers, including a coin from the mint of King Stanisław August, widely known as the last king of independent Poland, and pieces of military equipment.

These included uniform buttons and belt buckles once worn by the soldiers, officials said.

Despite the abundance of evidence of war, one mystery remains.

Where are the dead soldiers buried?

Archaeologist Grzegorz Mączka said that by collecting and mapping the locations where specific ammunition was found, researchers can better understand where each part of the battle took place and where soldiers may be buried, the press release said.

The team also hopes to find the specific fortification wall where Kościuszko led the command, officials said, but there are more than 250 hectares of fields, meadows and forests to search.

Officials say the battlefield has been searched illegally, so it is imperative to act quickly to preserve the remaining artifacts.

Dubienka is located on the southeastern border of Poland, across the river from Western Ukraine.

The press release from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education was translated using Google Translate.