General Washington's Badge of Military Merit and the Noncommissioned Officers Who Earned It

Three Noncommissioned Officers received special recognition for their acts of heroism during the Revolutionary War. It became obvious during the course of my research that historians made little if any reference of these NCOs in accounts written about the period. This includes the personal memoirs of one of the NCOs commanding officer. This papers purpose is to give the reader the most complete account possible of these three soldiers and their acts of valor while realistically portraying the events leading to their recognition by General Washington. Both the Purple Heart and the Congressional Medal of Honor can trace their history back to the Badge of Military Merit. After the defeat of the British forces at Yorktown, Washington moved the Continental Army Headquarters to Newburgh, New York where he could keep a watchful eye on the British garrisoned at New York City. General Washington continued to improve the living conditions and training of his soldiers in order to insure their morale remained high. He was very suspicious of British intentions despite their request to begin peace negotiations received on 4 August 1782 Freeman, 498. Suspecting a trick to deceive America, Washington believed that so long as there was doubt, the country should maintain its readiness and prepare with more vigor than ever for any eventuality. He created this award on 7 August 1782 in order to recognize unusually meritorious service, plus an unblemished record. He designed it specifically for the lower ranks, where decorations were non-existent in European armies. As Washington intended, the road to glory in the patriot or citizens according to Fisch, 3 army is thus opened to all Badge, 1. It is reasonable to assume that Washington created this award not only for reasons stated, but also to also keep his soldiers focused potential for future battles.