Norvell Francis Churchill was born on June 11, 1840, in Berlin Township, Michigan. In August 1861, Churchill joined Company L of the 1st Michigan Cavalry, and on September 6, 1861 he took the muster oath.
After rugged training, he was assigned to the Army of the Potomac.

The First Michigan Cavalry saw quite a bit of action, and my greatgrandfather had been present in all of the early campaigns prior to Gettysburg.
In fact, he had been an orderly to General Banks for several months and an orderly with General Mansfield when the general was mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862, Churchill caught him as he was falling from his horse. In June 1863, Churchill became an an orderly to a newly promoted Brigadier General George Custer just before the Battle of Gettysburg. Custer, whose brigade was made up entirely of soldiers from Michigan, led 50 men of Company A in his first mounted charge down Hunterstown Road, Pennsylvania, on July 2, 1863. During an attack down Hunterstown Road against General Wade Hampton’s Confederate Cavalry, Custer’s horse was shot.
An enemy officer spied Custer’s predicament and rode down

on the unhorsed general, swinging his sabre. A second or two before the imminent fatality, Norvell Churchill charged in with his sabre and caught a blow meant for General Custer. He then shot the enemy horseman with his Colt pistol, held out a hand and Custer swung up behind him as they galloped off looking for another horse. That evening, General Custer visited Company L and made my greatgrandfather his Special Orderly. After the war, General Custer came to visit my greatgrandfather at his Romeo, Michigan farm and stayed for three days before going off to the Indian campaigns, and according to my grandfather,
Hugh Norvell Churchill, Custer asked his father to go West with him, but he

declined. In August 1864, Norvell’s enlistment elapsed and in February 1865
he was honorably discharged. In April 1892, at age 52, he applied for and received a pension of $12.00 a month. He passed away on June 25, 1905 at age 65 in Echo Township, Michigan. Norvell Churchill had three older brothers who also served in the Civil War: Peter, the eldest at age 34 was on provost duty with Company H, 4th Michigan Infantry; Cyrus served in Company G,
10th Michigan Infantry, along with brother Judson.

The sword my great grandfather used to saved Custer’s life has remained in the Churchill family, having been passed down to my cousin, Hugh E. Churchill.
On July 7, 2007, in Central Lake, Michigan, a Churchill family reunion is planned where our family will get together to honor my greatgrandfather’s heroism at Gettysburg and to view the actual sword.

Posted May 22, 2007      lh