Huntington City Meeting: 250th Anniversary Liberty Minute (June 16, 2026)
Huntington City Meeting - June 16, 2026
This meeting featured a special 'Liberty Minute' presentation commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. The segment recounted Major Benjamin Talmadge's raid on Fort Slango in October 1781 and its significance in keeping British forces in New York, aiding the victory at Yorktown. The presentation also noted that Elijah Churchill, wounded in the battle, was later awarded a badge of military merit by George Washington, considered a precursor to the Purple Heart.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to this Liberty Minute, part of Huntington's celebration of 250 years of American independence. In October 1781, Major Benjamin Talmadge led a successful raid on a small British fort near the shores just east of the Huntington-Smith Town line. Fort Slango was one of several coastal defenses located along the North Shore. One of the Americans, Elijah Churchill, was wounded in the battle. George Washington later awarded him a badge of military merit, considered the precursor of the Purple Heart. The battle was intended to keep the British Navy in the north to defend New York rather than sail south to aid Cornwallis at Yorktown. Thanks to the sacrifices of generations of Huntington Patriots, Liberes.
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