Battle of Bunker Hill: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

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Battle of Bunker Hill

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	Battle of Bunker Hill
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	Topics Battle of Bunker Hill Topic Home The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775 on Breed's HillBreed's Hill Breed's Hill is the actual site where the Battle of Bunker Hill took place during the American Revolution, located in the C... , as part of the Siege of BostonSiege of Boston The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the active American Revolutionary War, in which the Continental Army surrounded... during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War , also known as the American War of Independence, was a war between Great Britain and r... . GeneralGeneral A General is an officer of high military rank.... Israel PutnamIsrael Putnam Israel Putnam was an American army general who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Re... was in charge of the revolutionary forces, while Major-General William HoweWilliam Howe, 5th Viscount Howe Sir William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was an English General who was Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the A... commanded the BritishKingdom of Great Britain Kingdom of Great Britain\| align="center" colspan="2"\|... forces. Because most of the fighting did not occur on Bunker Hill itself, the conflict is sometimes more accurately (though less often) called the Battle of Breed's Hill. The result was a victory for the British; however, they suffered their greatest losses of the entire war: over 800 wounded and 228 killed. The colonists held on and repelled the first two attacks. Finally the colonists' ammunition supplies ran out and on their third assault, the British forces overran the revolutionaries' fortified earthworks on Breed's and Bunker's Hills. Afterwards, British General Henry ClintonHenry Clinton (American War of Independence) General Sir Henry Clinton, KB, was a British officer during the American War of Independence, or revolutionary war.... remarked in his diary that "A few more such victories would have shortly put an end to British dominion in America." Howe's immediate objective was achieved, but did not affect the siege; it did, however, demonstrate that the American Colonists were willing to stand up to a pitched battle. Geography and strategy Boston, being on a peninsula, was largely protected from close approach by the expanses of water surrounding it, dominated by British warships. With the troops in the city able to be resupplied and reinforced by sea, a simple "strangulation" siege could be very protracted, and might be ultimately unsuccessful. Were the besieging Continentals able to bombard the city, on the other hand, the progress of the ongoing siegeSiege of Boston The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the active American Revolutionary War, in which the Continental Army surrounded... could be greatly hastened. If a position could be taken (and fortified) close to the city, an artillery bombardment could be begun. The Charlestown PeninsulaPeninsula Summary A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three... started from a short, narrow isthmusIsthmus An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that is bordered on two sides by water and connects two larger land masses.... (known as the "Neck") at its northwest, extending about one mile (1,600 meters) southeastward into Boston Harbor. Bunker Hill is an elevation (110 feet or 34 meters) at the north of the peninsula and Breed's Hill, at a height of 62 feet (19 meters), is more southerly and nearer to Boston. The town of CharlestownCharlestown, Massachusetts Charlestown is a part of the city of Boston, Massachusetts.... occupied the flats at the southern end of the peninsula. At its closest approach, less than 1,000 feet (300 meters) separated Charlestown Peninsula from the Boston Peninsula, specifically an area occupied by Copp's HillCopp's Hill Copp's Hill is the second oldest burial ground of the city of Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1659.... at about the same height as Breed's Hill. Both sides seem to have realized Charlestown's importance at about the same time. Battle On the night of June 16-17, Colonial Colonel William PrescottWilliam Prescott William Prescott was an American Colonel in the Revolutionary War who commanded the rebel forces in the Battle of Bunker Hil... led 1,500 men onto the peninsula in order to set up positions from which artillery fire could be directed into Boston as part of the siege of that city. At first, Putnam, Prescott, and their engineering officer, Captain Richard GridleyRichard Gridley Richard Gridley was born in Boston, Massachusetts.... , disagreed as to where they should locate their defense. Initial work was performed on Bunker Hill, but Breed's Hill was closer to Boston and viewed as being more defensible, and they decided to build their primary redoubtRedoubt Summary A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort.... there. Prescott and his men, using Gridley's outline, began digging a fortification 160 feet (50 m) long and 80 feet (25 m) wide with ditches and earthen walls. They added ditch and dike extensions toward the Charles RiverCharles River The Charles River is a small, relatively short river in Massachusetts, USA that separates Boston from Cambridge and Charlest... on their right and began reinforcing a fence running to their left. In the early predawn, around 4 a.m., a sentry on board HMS LivelyHMS Lively (1754) HMS Lively was a 20-gun sloop-of-war of the British Royal Navy built in 1754.... spotted the new fortification. Lively opened fire, temporarily halting the Colonists' work. Aboard his flagship HMS SomersetHMS Somerset (1748) The third HMS Somerset was built at Chatham in 1748 and saw action at the capture of Louisberg and Cape Bretton Island durin... , Admiral Samuel GravesSamuel Graves Admiral Samuel Graves RN was a British Admiral who fought for the British in the American Revolution.... awoke irritated by the gunfire which he had not ordered. He stopped it, only to reverse his decision when he got on deck and saw the works. He ordered all 128 guns in the harbor to fire on the Colonists' position, but the broadsides proved largely ineffective since the guns could not be elevated enough to reach the fortifications. Across the narrow channel in Boston stood General Gage, his staff, and loyalist Abijah Willard. Upon looking through a telescope, Willard recognized his brother-in-law Colonel Prescott. "Will he fight?' asked Gage. "[A]s to his men, I cannot answer for them;" replied Willard, "but Colonel Prescott will fight you to the gates of hell." Prescott did live up to Willard's word, but his men were not so resolute. When the Colonists suffered their first casualty, Asa Pollard of Billerica, a young private killed by cannon fire, Prescott gave orders to bury the man quickly and quietly, but a large group of men gave him a solemn funeral instead, with several deserting shortly thereafter. It took almost six hours to organize an infantry force and to gather up and inspect the men on parade. General Howe was to lead the major assault, drive around the Colonist's left flankFlanking maneuver Overview In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force.... , and take them from the rear. Brigadier General Robert PigotRobert Pigot Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet was a British Army officer during the American Revolutionary War.... on the British left flank would lead the direct assault on the redoubt. Major John PitcairnJohn Pitcairn John Pitcairn was a British Marine who was stationed in Boston, Massachusetts at the start of the American Revolutionary War... led the flank or reserve force. It took several trips in longboats to transport Howe's forces to the eastern corner of the peninsula, known as Moulton's Hill. On a warm day, with wool tunics and full field packs of about 60 pounds (27 kg), the British were finally ready by about 2 p.m. The Colonists, seeing this activity, had also called for reinforcements. Troops reinforcing the forward positions included the 1st1st New Hampshire Regiment Sorry, no overview for this topic and 3rd New Hampshire regiments3rd New Hampshire Regiment Sorry, no overview for this topic of 200 men, under Colonels John StarkJohn Stark John Stark was a general who served in the American Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. ... and James ReedJames Reed (soldier) James Reed was born in Lunenburg or Woburn, Massachusetts.... (both later became generals). Stark's men took positions along the fence on the north end of the Colonist's position. When low tide opened a gap along the Mystic RiverMystic River The Mystic River is the name of a short river in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States.... along the northeast of the peninsula, they quickly extended the fence with a short stone wall to the north ending at the water's edge on a small beach. Gridley or Stark placed a stake about 100 feet (30 m) in front of the fence and ordered that no one fire until the regularsFacts About Regular Army The Regular Army is the permanent force of the United States Army that is maintained during peacetime.... passed it. Private (later Major) John SimpsonJohn Simpson (soldier) Major John Simpson of Deerfield, New Hampshire, fired the first gun on the American side, at the Battle of Bunker Hill in th... , however, disobeyed and fired as soon as he had a clear shot, thus starting the battle. The battle of Bunker Hill, had begun. Just prior to the action, additional reinforcements arrived, including portions of Massachusetts regiments of Colonels Brewer, NixonFacts About John Nixon (Massachusetts) John Nixon was an American brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.... , WoodbridgeBenjamin Ruggles Woodbridge Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge of South Hadley, Massachusetts, practiced medicine and law, was a colonel in the Massachusetts m... , Little, and Major Moore, and Callender's company of artillery. General Howe detached both the light infantry companies and grenadiers of all the regiments available. Along the narrow beach, the far right flank of the Colonist position, Howe set his light infantry. They lined up four across and several hundred deep, led by officers in scarlet red jackets. Behind the crude stone wall stood Stark's men. In the middle of the British lines, to attack the rail fence between the beach and redoubt stood Reed's men and the remainder of Stark's New Hampshire regiment. To oppose them, Howe assembled all the flank companies of grenadiers in the first line, supported by the 5th and 52nd52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot The 52nd Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries.... Regiments' line companies. The attack on the redoubt itself was led by Brigadier General Robert Pigot, commanding the 38th and 43rd43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot Overview The 43rd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army.... line companies, along with the Marines. Prescott had been steadily losing men. He lost very few to the bombardment but assigned ten volunteers to carry the wounded to the rear. Others took advantage of the confusion to join the withdrawal. Two generals did join Prescott's force, but both declined command and simply fought as individuals. By the time the battle had started, 1,400 defenders faced 2,600 regulars. The first assaults on the fence line and the redoubt were met with massed fire at close range and repulsed, with heavy British losses. The reserve, gathering just north of the town, was also taking casualties from rifle fire in the town. Howe's men reformed on the field and made a second unsuccessful attack at the wall. By this time, the Colonists had lost all fire disciplineFire discipline Fire Discipline is a system of communication in the military, primarily the Artillery.... . In traditional battles of the eighteenth century, companies of men fired, reloaded, and moved on specific orders, as they had been trained (see the warfare tactics sectionMusket A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smoothbore long gun, which its user generally fires from the shoulder.... in "MusketMusket A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smoothbore long gun, which its user generally fires from the shoulder.... s"). After their initial volley, the Colonists fought as individuals, each man firing as quickly as he could. The British withdrew almost to their original positions on the peninsula to regroup. The navy, along with artillery from Copp's Hill on the Boston peninsula, fired heated shot into Charlestown. All 400 or so buildings and the docks were completely burned, but the sniperSniper [Image:01_SNIPERS_.jpg\|thumb\|right\|200px\| French Special Forces Sniping Team.... s withdrew safely. In the third British assault the reserves were included and both flanks concentrated on the redoubt. This attack was successful. The defenders had run out of ammunition, reducing the battle to close combat. The British had the advantage here as their troops were equipped with bayonets on their muskets but most of the Colonists did not have them. The British advance, and the Colonists' withdrawal, swept through the entire peninsula, including Bunker Hill as well as Breed's Hill. However, under Putnam, the Colonists were quickly in new positions on the mainland. Coupled with the exhaustion of Howe's troops, there was little chance of advancing on Cambridge and breaking the siege. Colonial Volunteers Among the Colonial volunteers in the battle were: John BrooksJohn Brooks John Brooks was Governor of Massachusetts from 1816 to 1823.... physician, Major General, Governor of Massachusetts Henry BurbeckHenry Burbeck Henry Burbeck was born in Boston, Massachusetts.... , Brigadier General Henry DearbornHenry Dearborn Henry Dearborn was an American physician, statesman and veteran of both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.... , physician, Congressman, Secretary of War, Major General and Senior Officer of the United States Army, Minister Plenipotentiary to Portugal William EustisWilliam Eustis William Eustis was an early American statesman.... , physician, Congressman, Secretary of War, Governor of Massachusetts, Ambassador to Holland Christian FebigerChristian Febiger Col. Hans Christian Febiger was an American Revolutionary War commander, confidante of General George Washington and an o... , Brigadier General (by brevet), Treasurer for the Commonwealth of Philadelphia Thomas GardnerThomas Gardner Col. Thomas Gardner was an American political figure and soldier.... , Colonel, mortally wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill Thomas KnowltonFacts About Thomas Knowlton Thomas Knowlton was an American patriot who served in the French and Indian War and acted as a Colonel during the American R... , Colonel Henry KnoxHenry Knox Henry Knox was an American bookseller from Boston who became the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army and later t... , Major General, Secretary of War Dudley Noyes, Sergeant, member of Colonel Frye's Regiment, Cattaraugus County, New York pioneer James Otis Israel PotterIsrael Potter *Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile* is a novel by Herman Melville, published in installments in Putnam's Monthly M... Daniel ShaysDaniel Shays Daniel Shays was a captain in the American Revolutionary War.... led an army of farmers in Shays' RebellionShays' Rebellion Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in western Massachusetts from 1786 to 1787.... William StacyWilliam Stacy William Stacy was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and a pioneer to the Ohio Countr... , Colonel, Ohio pioneer Barzillai LewBarzillai Lew Barzillai Lew African American soldier and musician, served in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.... Salem PoorSalem Poor Salem Poor was a black soldier who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill.... Peter SalemPeter Salem Peter Salem was an African American who served as a soldier in the American Revolution.... aka "Salem Middlesex" British Officers Among the British Officers were: General John BurgoyneJohn Burgoyne John Burgoyne was a British general and playwright.... General Henry ClintonHenry Clinton (American War of Independence) General Sir Henry Clinton, KB, was a British officer during the American War of Independence, or revolutionary war.... Colonel Lord Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of NorthumberlandHugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland entered the British Army in 1759, and married Lady Anne Crichton-Stuart, daughter of ... (remained in Boston) Lieutenant Lord Francis RawdonFrancis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings Sophia Frederica Christina Rawdon-Hastings, married John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute and had issue.... British Officer Casualties The following 29 British officers were either killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill, died of wounds received or were wounded and presumably made a recovery.Of the 29 officers, there were 2 Ensigns, 12 Lieutenants, 11 captains, 3 majors and 1 Lieutenant-Colonel. This list is not complete but indicates the high rate of casualties among the British officers: Lieutenant-Colonel James Abercrombie, 22nd Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Ensign Balaquire, 5th Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Bard, 35th Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Bruere, 14th Foot (serving as volunteer) - killed at Bunker Hill Captain Campbell, HM Marines - killed at Bunker Hill Ensign Charleton, 5th Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Croker, 5th Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Dalrymple, 63rd Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Captain Davidson, 52nd Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill Captain Patrick Downs, 5th Foot - mortally wounded at Bunker Hill and died in the evening Lieutenant Dutton, 38th Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Captain Ellis, HM Marines - killed at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Finnie, HM Marines - killed at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Gardner, HM Marines - killed at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Gold, 47th Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Captain George HarrisGeorge Harris, 1st Baron Harris Sir George Harris, 1st Baron Harris, GCB, British general, was the son of the Rev George Harris, curate of Brasted, Kent.... , 5th Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill (shot in head, recovered, and later became a General and created Baron HarrisBaron Harris Baron Harris, of Seringapatam and Mysore in the East Indies and of Belmont in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage ... ) Lieutenant Higgins, 52nd Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Lieutenant Hillard, 47th Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Captain Hudson, 65th Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Captain John Jackson, 5th Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill Captain Mackenzi, 43rd Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Lieutenant M’Clintockx, 5th Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill Captain Francis Marsden, 5th Foot - wounded at Bunker Hill, after living for another 5 years died at Burntwood HallBurntwood Hall Burntwood Hall* is a house that lies near the village of Great Houghton, South Yorkshire, England and has been known as Bo... , February 12, 1780, presumably from wounds received. Monument inside Wakefield CathedralWakefield Cathedral Wakefield Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of All Saints Wakefield is the cathedral for the Church of England'... , West YorkshireWest Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England, corresponding roughly to the core of the West Riding of the traditional ... Major Pask, 52nd Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Major John PitcairnJohn Pitcairn John Pitcairn was a British Marine who was stationed in Boston, Massachusetts at the start of the American Revolutionary War... , HM Marines - mortally wounded at Bunker Hill and died in the evening Lieutenant Shea, HM Marines - killed at Bunker Hill Captain Sherwin, 67th Foot - killed at Bunker Hill - Aide-de-camp to General Howe Captain Smith, 52nd Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Major Williams, 52nd Foot - killed at Bunker Hill Commemorations The Bunker Hill MonumentBunker Hill Monument The Bunker Hill Monument, erected to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, is the first public obelisk erected in the Unite... on the site is an obeliskObelisk Overview An obelisk is a tall, thin, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramidal top.... that stands 220 feet (67 m) high. On June 17, 1825, the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, the cornerstone of the monument was laid by the Marquis de LafayetteFacts About Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de La Fayette was a French aristocrat.... and an address delivered by Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman during the nation's antebellum era.... . There is also a statue of Prescott in the famous pose used to show him calming his "farmers" down. Bunker Hill Day, commemorating the battle, is a legal holiday in Suffolk County, MassachusettsSuffolk County, Massachusetts ----Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S.... as well as SomervilleSomerville, Massachusetts Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just north of Boston.... in Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County Middlesex is a traditional county of England.... . State institutions in Massachusetts (such as public higher educationHigher education Higher education is education provided by universities, vocational universities and other collegial institutions that aw... ) also celebrate the holiday. See also Royal Welch FusiliersRoyal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers was a regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division.... New EnglandNew England New England is a region of the United States located in the northeastern corner of the country.... Breed's HillBreed's Hill Breed's Hill is the actual site where the Battle of Bunker Hill took place during the American Revolution, located in the C... External links