Battle of Breed's Hill / Bunker Hill [17 June 1775]

Worcester Polytechnical Institute - Dept. of Military Science ^ | Oct 5, 2006 | WPI Dept. of Military Science

[NonValueAdded]

Battle of Breed's Hill / Bunker Hill

A Brief History

After retreating from Lexington in April, 1775, the British Army occupied Boston for several months. Realizing the need to strengthen their position in the face of increasing anti-British sentiment in and around Boston, plans were developed to seize and fortify nearby Dorchester Heights and Charlestown peninsulas. The peninsulas offered a commanding view of the seaport and harbor, and were important to preserving the security of Boston. The Americans caught word of the British plan, and decided to get to the Charlestown peninsula first, fortify it, and present sufficient threat to cause the British to leave Boston. On 16 June, 1775, under the leadership of Colonels Putnam, and Prescott, the Patriots stole out onto the Charlestown Peninsula with instructions to establish defensive positions on Bunker's Hill. For reasons that are unclear, they constructed a redoubt on nearby Breed's Hill. The next morning, the British were astonished to see the rebel fortifications upon the hill and set out to reclaim the peninsula.

General Howe served as the commander of the British main assault force and led two costly and ineffective charges against the Patriot's fortifications without inflicting significant casualties on his opponents. After obtaining 400 reinforcements which included sorely needed ammunition for his artillery, Howe ordered a bayonet charge to seize Breed's Hill. In this third attempt, the British were finally able to breach the breastworks of the American redoubt and the Patriots were forced to retreat back to the mainland.

[NonValueAdded]

From The Real Story of the American Revolution (RSAR.org)

For a high-resolution map see the RSAR map page link to the USMA map index.

lesson plan [U.S. National Park Service] The orders of battle [regiments involved] for all the combatants involved at Breed's Hill (Great Britain and militias from the four states in the Yankee alliance) are given on pages 51-53 of The Battle of Bunker’s Hill, by John R. Elting (Philip Freneau Press, Monmouth Beach NJ, 1975).

Bunker Hill - click for larger image
from "Soldiers of the American Revolution", by H. Charles McBarron
[U.S. Army Center for Military History]

[NonValueAdded]

RevWar ping please

[cotton1706]

The guns that spoke at Lexington
Knew not that God was planning then,
The trumpet words of Jefferson
To bugle forth the rights of men

[NonValueAdded]

... Unmanifest Destiny, Richard Hovey.

Thank you for posting that.

[Diogenesis]

[NonValueAdded]

And after all that trouble I went through to make the smaller image clickable :)

And yea, verily, Diogenesis went forth looking for some honest bandwidth.


_{just teasing}

[cotton1706]

Actually, I never knew who wrote that. I read that stanza years ago and never forgot it. I never read the whole poem. Just did. Thanks.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

I was wondering if Col Prescott was the same Prescott that rode with Revere and Dawes in April of 1775? Any Rev war buffs know?
anyways HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PATRIOTS...I doubt most Americans today know the sacrifices those folks made to secure our Liberty.
Freegards,
Lex

[gusopol3]

according to David Hackett Fischer, Paul Revere's Ride p.287, there were 2 doctors Prescott riding that night: Dr.Samuel Prescott, who carried message to Concord, became a surgeon in the continental army, later joined crew of a privateer, was captured and died at Halifax in 1777. Dr. Abel Prescott jr. of Concord carried the message on to Sudbury and Framingham, was shot at Concord South bridge on his way home, never fully recovered from the wound and died a few months later. William Prescott of the redoubt fame served in several other battles, died in 1795.

[Pharmboy]

Thanks to NonValueAdded for the post and the ping.

Although they took the hill, the British paid a heavy price in casualties that day 233 years ago. Towards the end of the battle, the Boston physician, Freemason and Chairman of the Massachusetts Committe of Corresponsence, Joseph Warren was shot through the head by a British officer who recognized him. The 14 "Warren Counties" in the US are named after him.

RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list...

Freepmail me to get on or off this list

[AmericaUnite]

Thanks for the ping.
BTW, Hubby got the John Adams HBO mini series DVD for Father's Day.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Was that a Don Troiani painting? I love that! So few realistic RevWar paintings ever - usually cairacturish as if they think the clothes are too funny to take seriously.

[Pharmboy]

Excellent choice for (I’m sure) an excellent father! My favorite scene in that series (other than any scene that The General was in) was Adams being received for the first time as America’s ambassador by George III. Incredibly well-written, acted and directed.

[NonValueAdded]

image by Rick Wyatt, 18 July 2001
from FOTW Flags Of The World website at http://flagspot.net/flags/

[Hemingway's Ghost]

he Boston physician, Freemason and Chairman of the Massachusetts Committe of Corresponsence, Joseph Warren

And let's not forget that even though he was granted a commission as a general, he declined it in order to fight on the hill that day.

[NonValueAdded]

Was that a Don Troiani painting?

Yes, the one in post 10 is by Troiani. I'm not sure about the one enlarged in post 5. It is of a similar style.

http://www.pf-militarygallery.com/prints/don_troiani.htm

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Thanks for the response. It was Dr. Samuel Prescott who warned my ancestors. I knew he was a surgeon who died during the war. The story passed down was that he had been on a “date” when he was recruited to ride and warn. It would make sense since he was a docotor he was not the colonel at Bunker Hill.
Freegards,
Lex

[rhombus]

“These fellows say we won’t fight! By Heavens, I hope I shall die up to my knees in blood!” — Joseph Warren

[aculeus]

bttt

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks Pharmboy. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. On second thought, I'm going to ping the list. Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are Blam, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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