Elijah Churchill (September 5, 1755 – April 11, 1841) was a soldier for the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

Early life

Elijah Churchill was born on September 5, 1755, in

Newington, Connecticut Newington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. Located south of downtown Hartford, Newington is an older, mainly residential suburb located in Greater Hartford. As of 2023, t ...

. His father was named Giles.

Military career

Churchill entered the 8th Connecticut Regiment as a

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on 7 July 1775. On 7 May 1777, he re-enlisted for the duration of the war as a

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...

in the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, later the 2nd Legionary Corps, and was promoted to

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

on 2 October 1780. He was cited for gallantry in action at Fort St. George near

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Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

, in November 1780, at

Tarrytown, New York Tarrytown is a administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Greenburgh, New York, Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, Unit ...

, in July 1781, and at Fort Slongo (now known as Fort Salonga, also on Long Island) on October 2, 1781. He was awarded the

Badge of Military Merit The Badge of Military Merit was an award for non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Continental Army. It is considered America's first military decoration, and the second oldest in the world (after the Cross of St. George). Non commissi ...

for his actions, one of only three soldiers to receive the award.

Later life and death

Once the American Revolutionary War was completed, Churchill moved to Massachusetts. In 1784 he lived in Enfield.Churchill (1904), p. 348 He died on April 11, 1841.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Churchill, Elijah Continental Army soldiers People of Connecticut in the American Revolution 1755 births 1841 deaths People from Enfield, Connecticut