Today In History: The Battle Of Bunker Hill

Vanity ^ | 06/17/11 | Ard

[arderkrag]

The Battle of Bunker Hill, a battle fought in the American Revolutionary War, occurred on June 17, 1775 between the American Revolutionary forces under the command of General Israel Putnam, and the British forces under the command of Major General William Howe. Howe was determined to take Charlestown Heights, overlooking Boston harbor. It was actually fought on nearby Breed's Hill, when Colonel William Prescott erred and set up his 1200 men at that location and began to construct earthworks. It is considered to be the bloodiest battle of the American Revolutionary War. Despite being repelled twice, the British were successful in a bayonet charge when the American ammunition gave out. The Americans lost 140 men killed, 271 wounded, and 30 captured.[1]

Tactically a British victory, it was a morale boost for the colonial forces who met British regulars and didn't falter in the face of the enemy until their supplies were exhausted.

The famous quote "Don't shoot 'till you see the whites of their eyes!", attributed to either General Putnam or Colonel William Prescott, was from this battle.

Further reference information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill

[arderkrag]

Lest we forget.

[bunkerhill7]

My gggg grand-uncle was wounded in the battle, then bayoneted while down by a British soldier who was prompltly shot dead by myggggg uncle`s son, The son carried him off the battlefield but he died from the bayonet thrust to his lungs 3 months later. 6 other uncles were there;
Prescott was married to my ggggg Aunt who said he ran into the house, grabbed his musket, kissed her goodbye and ran like hell.

[LS]

A higher percentage of British officers were killed in this battle than any other Revolutionary War battle.

[mountainlion]

I had a first cousin 8 times removed that fought and died in the Battle for Long Island August 1776. I will not forget. I think that I have had family fight all battles on this soil since the Pilgrims

[blueunicorn6]

My family has a long and proud history of running away from Brtish bayonets. Our family crest is a chicken running from a redcoat. Great Uncle Zeke is the man credited with coming up with the phrase, “Don’t run until you see the whites of their eyes, or they get off the boat, whichever comes first.”

[Vigilanteman]

The Battle of Bunker Hill was a game changer for British and Americans alike. General Howe finally realized that the American Colonials were not a small band of radicals opposed to oppression, but had widespread support. Among the dead at the battle were the bodies of citizens from all walks of life, including slaves and freed men.

When the cannon captured at Ft. Ticonderoga were put in place on the hills north of Boston, Howe finally decided it would be prudent to abandon the city. His Phyrric victory at Breed's Hill was short-lived.

[cripplecreek]

It certainly announced to the british that they were in for a real fight over the colonies.

[NonValueAdded]

ping

[NonValueAdded]

Several distant relatives fought in this battle, some with distinction.

The loss of Dr. Joseph Warren was a huge blow but also a rallying point for the patriots.

[Berlin_Freeper]

I was at Bunker Hill, 215 years after the battle.

[Tammy8]

I think that I have had family fight all battles on this soil since the Pilgrims

Most would think that everyone fought in all the battles/wars just because the population was much smaller. I did a lot of family genealogy and found out some families really didn't fight as a rule. My dad's family fought in numbers in every generation- but there was a branch in my mother's family that did not have any members in the military at any time that I could find. In fact that family seemed to migrate to other areas when there were issues. Some likely didn't fight for religious reasons but I didn't find that. My husband's family fought in every skirmish they could find including feuds. I found that funny. Just as today some families supply the troops and many don't.

[mountainlion]

I have found around 25 people in my tree that served in the American Revolution. Half a dozen served in the war of 1812 and the Mexican War. One of my great grandparents was shot in the shoulder and bayonet ted in the let in the battle of Trenton. He had said that he know George Washington and some generals. I think some fought to get land and became farmers. I have found little in the civil war until WWII. One in WWII helped drive out the Japanese in Alaska. The search of Ancestors is quite interesting.

[Sherman Logan]

The most interesting part is that this British pyrrhic victory and enormous boost for Patriot morale was self-inflicted by the British, quite intentionally.

The site is on a peninsula with a narrow neck. The Brits obviously had total command of the water. The logical military thing to do was to land a force supported by naval artillery on the neck and cut off reinforcements and retreat. They could even have starved them out. Don’t know what the fresh water situation on the peninsula was.

But the British officers decided they needed a show of force and contempt for the rabble. They would land at the foot of the hill and march straight up the hill, carrying their roughly 65 pounds of impedimenta, and overrun the rebels.

This would show them the British regulars would defeat them despite the rebels having all the advantages of position and consequently crush their morale. The rebellion would fall apart.

Didn’t work out that way for the Brits.

Moral: Underestimating the enemy is the fastest way to suffer a military defeat.

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the ping...we did so well at this battle, and as another poster mentioned above, took many British officers as casualties that day. Yes...even though we eventually gave up that ground, we surprised everyone around.

What that battle did, though, was make the Patriots think that they could--at that point--meet the Brit regulars on the field of battle (they dug in like crazy at Breed's Hill and did not march in line against the Brits). This set them up for the rout that was the Battle of Brooklyn more than a year later.

They would need the discipline and training that von Steuben brought to the Continental Army to be competitive with the Brits and Germans.

[ansel12]

There have been a lot of battles on American soil, including 70 years of the Army and the Indians out west, it is unlikely to have family in all, everywhere.

[mountainlion]

There have been a lot of battles on American soil, including 70 years of the Army and the Indians out west, it is unlikely to have family in all, everywhere.
You are right. I was thinking of battles as being with foreign powers. They were not much involved in the last 70 years. Most of what I have found has been before the Civil War.

[ansel12]

I come from a prominent 1636 family that spread quickly and continued to spread through the centuries, I think of them as being involved in most geographic regions of American events and conflict, but not in each single battle.

[SunkenCiv]

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