kɹˈɪstʃən tˈɛl wʌz ɛnɹˈoʊld ɪnðə mˈɪlətˌɛɹi fˈoːɹsᵻz ʌvðɪ ˈɑːɾəmən ˈɛmpaɪɚ, fˈaɪɾɪŋ ɪnðə ɹˈʌsoʊtˈɜːkɪʃ wˈɔːɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti ˈeɪt twˈɛnti nˈaɪn, wˌɛɹ hiː ɹᵻsˈiːvd ðə ɹˈæŋk ʌv kˈæptɪn.
Christian Tell was enrolled in the military forces of the Ottoman Empire, fighting in the Russo-Turkish War (1828–29), where he received the rank of captain.