[Victoria Delsoul]

WINTHROP CHANDLER: The Battle of Bunker Hill

At first the well-ordered redcoat columns "advanced with confidence," one officer recalled. The patriots, low on ammunition, waited with grim resolve from their position on Breed's Hill, just below Bunker Hill. "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes," a patriot officer was said to have instructed his men.

The British troops did ultimately take the hill, but not without a staggering loss of life. On the third assault, the redcoats took the hill as the militiamen ran out of gunpowder and retreated. With more than 1000 British killed or wounded, General Henry Clinton called the battle: "A dear bought victory. Another such would have ruined us."

Continental Army soldier shown loading a rifle.

George Washington lamented that the Continental Army had "very little discipline, order or government" at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. As the war progressed, his soldiers learned European military drill, and combined it with their determination and frontier know-how to defeat the redcoats, one of the world's best-trained and best-equipped armies.

The rifle took a long time to load, compared to the musket. By the time a soldier forced his rifle ball down the barrel, the enemy could get him with a bayonet. Their rifles had no bayonet, a necessity for fighting at close range, or in damp weather when wet flints and gunpowder made firearms useless. Because of these disadvantages, the musket remained the primary weapon used during the Revolutionary War.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Victoria, good graphics and background today.

[SpookBrat]

Hi FRiends. The kids and I watched the State of the Union address. It's my "superbowl".

My assessment:

Bidden is an arrogant, sanctimonious jerk. Daschle is a pathetic, pouting baby. Hillary is the ugliest woman I have ever seen in my life. And Senator Kerry looks like Frankenstein to me.

I watched the Democratic response given by the Democrat Governor from Washington. He said this at the end of his pre-written Democratic party line speech. "We support affirmative action and equal opportunity....." I'm sorry, but is that not the funniest dad gum thing you ever heard?

What an idiot.

[SpookBrat]

"Because of these disadvantages, the musket remained the primary weapon used during the Revolutionary War."

Hmmmm....very interesting facts there Princess Victoria. Thanks. (((hugs)))