~Background Information ~
Key to the Battle:
Battle of Bunker Hill
While the battles of Lexington and Concord were spontaneous outbursts of
violence, the Battle of Bunker Hill was the first deliberate conflict of
the American Revolution. It began when Connecticut and Massachusetts
militia led by Major General Israel Putnam (1718-90) and Major William
Prescott (1726-95), respectively, built an earthen fort on top of Breed's
Hill during the night of June 16. The next day, June 17, 1775, the
British awoke to find the heights overlooking the city to the north
fortified with 1,600 colonial militia and six cannons. (1) These are
depicted here on the upper and lower left of the image. The British soon
began bombarding the fortifications with artillery from British batteries
and warships in the harbor. When that failed to dislodge the Americans,
they landed approximately two thousand soldiers under the command of
General William Howe and later reinforced by General William Clinton. The
British marched up the hill and were repulsed by the Americans twice.
Finally, exhausted and without ammunition, the Americans retreated on the
third assault. Although an American defeat, the battle was very costly
for the British, who lost 1,054 men, including 94 officers. The American
losses were 441 men. During the course of the battle, which lasted just
over two hours, the abandoned community of Charlestown, was burned by
British to rid it of American snipers. This is represented in the center
of this image.
The conflict, first called the Battle of Charlestown Heights and
then later, the Battle of Bunker Hill, was to prove important for a number
of reasons: it further inspired the disparate Southern colonies into
joining the resistance to British rule, it rallied colonial soldiers who
now understood the British army was not invincible, and it gave the
British military a greater respect for the "rabble in arms" that they had
supposed the American forces to be. Although efforts at reconciliation
would continue to be made, it was clear at the end of this hot, bloody day
in June that the relationship between Britain and her American colonies
would never be the same. (2)
1. Morris, Richard B. ed. Encyclopedia of American History, 7th
ed.. (New
York: HarperResource, 1996).
2. Fleming, Thomas J. Now We Are Enemies: The Story of Bunker
Hill. (New
York: St. Martin.s Press 1960).
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