British General Thomas Gage lands his troops on the Charlestown Peninsula overlooking Boston, Massachusetts, and leads them against Breed’s Hill, a fortified American position just below Bunker Hill, on June 17, 1775.
As the British advanced in columns against the Americans, American General William Prescott reportedly told his men, “Don’t one of you fire until you see the whites of their eyes!” When the Redcoats were within 40 yards, the Americans let loose with a lethal barrage of musket fire, throwing the British into retreat. After reforming his lines, Gage attacked again, with much the same result.
Prescott’s men were now low on ammunition, though, and when Gage led his men up the hill for a third time, they reached the redoubts and engaged the Americans in hand-to-hand combat. The outnumbered Americans were forced to retreat. However, by the end of the engagement, the Patriots’ gunfire had cut down nearly 1,000 enemy troops, including 92 officers. Of the 370 Patriots who fell, most were struck while in retreat.
The British had won the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill, and Breed’s Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula fell firmly under British control. Despite losing their strategic positions, the battle was a morale-builder for the Americans, convincing them that patriotic dedication could overcome superior British military might.
The British entered the Battle of Bunker Hill overconfident. Had they merely guarded Charlestown Neck, they could have isolated the Patriots with little loss of life. Instead, Gage had chosen to try to wipe out the Yankees by marching 2,400 men into a frontal assault on the Patriots’ well-defended position on top of the hill. The British would never make the same mistake again.
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I have read a detailed account of Breed’s Hill / Bunker Hill. It was quite brutal. The Brits were not expecting determined resistance. By the third assault up the hill the gaiters of the Brit Infantry were streaked with the blood of their comrades left on the high weeds during previous assaults. By this point the brits were pretty effing pissed off.
One of the militia commanders after the battle, upon learning of casualty reports for both sides, stated “I wish we had another hill we could sell them at the same price.”
I have recently read a book which convinced me that the brutality in the War with the Brits was equal to anything that came after … including the Civil War and Vietnam.
For example, the treatment of prisoners (by both sides). The Brits actually had ships to house prisoners. Essentially, torture chambers. Guantanamo Bay would be a 5-star hotel in comparison.
Yes, sw, it was Breed’s Hill. Like most of history, the myth overcomes the reality. The liberals are counting on that.
True.
Also true …. they would continue to make other very costly mistakes. There are at least one or two other battles — had the Brits acted with more intelligence — which would have ended the war, in their favor, almost immediately.
Today the command would be “don’t fire until you see the whites.”
Just wait until we really are the minority. Take a look at South Africa. They don’t want justice or equality, they want revenge.
Hm.mm….,perhaps the lesson here is not wait but find those responsible for the changes,which of course starts with us
I had family that farmed around Breeds Hill till this battle,they moved on to greener pastures(oh,and fought the British and any mercs).