Fort Salonga, also known as NYSDHP Unique Site No. A103-08-0036, is an archeological site in the vicinity of Fort Salonga, New York

Fort Salonga, New York

Fort Salonga is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 9,634...

 that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

It is the site of the Revolutionary War British Fort Salonga, or Fort Slongo, (named after one of the fort’s architects) once located near the border of Huntington Township

Huntington, New York

The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...

 and The Town of Smithtown

Smithtown, New York

As of the census of 2000, there were 115,715 people, 38,487 households, and 31,482 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,159.9 people per square mile . There were 39,357 housing units at an average density of 734.6 per square mile...

, overlooking the Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...

.

In an October 1781 skirmish between the British and Americans at the fort, Elijah Churchill

Elijah Churchill

Elijah Churchill , was a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in Enfield, Connecticut, a carpenter, he entered the 8th Connecticut Regiment as a private on 7 July 1775...

 was wounded. He personally received a Badge of Military Merit

Badge of Military Merit

The Badge of Military Merit is considered the first military award of the United States Armed Forces. Although the Fidelity Medallion is older, after being issued to three soldiers for a specific event in 1780 it was never awarded again, so the Badge of Military Merit is often considered the oldest...

 from George Washington

George Washington

George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

 for his actions. The Badge became the Purple Heart

Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...

and he is credited with being the first the receive the award.