JOHN CHURCHILL was born on the 24th of June, 1650. At sixteen years of age he was page of honour to the Duke of York, who procured him an ensign's commission in the first foot guards; and he soon afterwards resigned the pleasures of the court to acquire a practical knowledge of his profession at Tangier, in Africa, where he served as a volunteer against the Moors, and gave presage of those bright qualities for which he afterwards became distinguished. On the breaking out of the Dutch war in 1672 he was appointed captain in the Duke of Monmouth's regiment of foot, in the service of the King of France, with which corps he served in the Netherlands, where he signalised himself by a regular attention to his duties, and by volunteering his services on occasions of difficulty or danger; and he evinced signal gallantry in 1673, at the siege of Maestricht,[68] where he was wounded. He subsequently served with the French army on the Rhine,--attracted the particular attention and regard of the celebrated Marshal Turenne,--and in 1674 he was appointed colonel of one of the English regiments in the service of the French monarch, in succession to the Earl of Peterborough. His regiment was recalled from France in 1678, and he was appointed to the command of a brigade of foot in Flanders; but the peace of Nimeguen taking place, he returned to England, and his regiment was disbanded. He became the constant attendant of the Duke of York, and being employed in several delicate missions between His Royal Highness and the King, he evinced great address.