Long Islanders are marking the anniversary of one of the most daring Revolutionary War operations ever carried out on local soil: Major Benjamin Tallmadge’s 1780 raid on Fort St. George in Mastic, a mission that helped give birth to the nation’s oldest military decoration—the Purple Heart.
On a cold night in November 1780, Tallmadge and a detachment of Continental Dragoons crossed Long Island Sound from Connecticut, landed at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai, and marched across the island under cover of darkness. Their target was the Manor of St. George, a fortified estate held by British and Loyalist troops. At dawn, Tallmadge’s men stormed the stronghold, capturing dozens of enemy soldiers, destroying supplies, and briefly turning the British guns on warships anchored in Bellport Bay.
Only one American, Sgt. Elijah Churchill, was wounded during the assault. For his heroism, General George Washington awarded him the new Badge of Military Merit—a heart-shaped purple cloth patch that became the precursor to today’s Purple Heart. The modern medal was formally established in 1932 by Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the War Department, but its roots remain firmly planted on Long Island.
After the raid, Tallmadge’s force marched its prisoners north to Coram and torched a massive British hay reserve before withdrawing to Mount Sinai and rowing back across the Sound.
Local historians and the Tri-Hamlet 250 Committee say Tallmadge’s raid will play a central role in Long Island’s Semiquincentennial plans in 2026. Events will include reenactments, educational programs, and tours of Revolutionary-era sites such as the William Floyd Estate, the Manor of St. George, and the grave of Patriot Nathaniel Woodhull.
“People know the Purple Heart as a national symbol of sacrifice,” said 250 Committee leader Bill Doyle, “but few realize that its first recipient earned it right here in our community.”