A Dear Bought Victory: The Battle of Bunker Hill
How a two-hour clash on a June afternoon changed the American Revolution forever
Bunker Hill Monument. [Boston, Mass.] Bunker Hill Monument. [Boston, Mass.] (about 1872) by Joshua W. Moulton & John S. MoultonThe J. Paul Getty Museum
A place of remembrance
Every year, people gather at the Bunker Hill Monument to remember the events of June 17, 1775. The granite obelisk marks the site where hundreds of British soldiers and colonial militia fought and died during the first major battle of the American Revolution.
View of the city of Boston from Breeds Hill in Charlestown by S HillBoston National Historical Park
Hilly pastures
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place throughout the hilly landscape and fenced pastures of Charlestown, just north of Boston. While named after the highest hill in the area, the fighting actually occurred on Breed's Hill, situated closest to the Charles River.
Boston, its environs and harbourBoston National Historical Park
Two hours of combat
The battle between the forces of the British Crown and those of New England only lasted around two hours. Yet, the brief and bloody engagement sent violent shock waves through Charlestown, the surrounding towns, and the entirety of the thirteen American colonies.
Prelude to war
During the 1760s and early 1770s, tensions rose between Parliament and Massachusetts over unpopular taxes. To stem violence, royal governor General Thomas Gage took steps to prevent colonial militia from raising arms, but local response remained firm and defiant.
Sketch of Bunker Hill BattleBoston National Historical Park
Secret reserves
Local militias quietly began stockpiling arms, ammunition, clothing, and other essentials in towns such as Concord, west of Boston. They anticipated a clash with the Crown and prepared by gathering resources necessary to maintain a sustained military defense.
The Revolution begins
Governor Gage sent 700 troops to Concord in April 1775. Colonial militia met these forces in Lexington and Concord on April 19. This engagement marked the official beginning of the American Revolution, drawing an estimated 20,000 militiamen to Massachusetts.
War 1765-1782 American Independance Battles Bunker Hill And CharlestownLIFE Photo Collection
A diverse army
The army that encircled Boston included people from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. These forces were diverse, composed of white colonists, freed and enslaved African Americans, and Indigenous peoples, all aiming to contain the British military.
View of the Attack on Bunker's Hill (1775-06-17) by Mr MillarBoston National Historical Park
Breaking the siege
By late May 1775, British reinforcements arrived with a plan to seize Dorchester Heights and Charlestown Heights. Alerted to this, militia leaders prepared to fortify Bunker Hill on the night of June 16 to preempt the British military from taking the peninsula.
Building the redoubt
Around midnight on June 16, colonial soldiers used pickaxes and shovels to build an earthen fort, or redoubt, on Breed's Hill. Leaders Prescott, Putnam, and Gridley instructed the men on building defenses, including a rail fence extending toward the Mystic River.
The British response
At dawn, General Gage spotted the new redoubt. By 9:00 a.m., he instructed General Howe to lead an assault across the Charles River. British Navy ships fired cannon toward the redoubt for two hours, starting a bombardment that lasted until the tide rose.
Tide and terrain
British forces had to wait until midday for the tide to rise to ferry 2,400 troops across. Once landed, the regulars faced swampy terrain and a dug-in enemy. Shallow waters also prevented Navy ships from providing adequate cannon fire coverage for the landing.
The Battle of Bunker's Hill, Near Boston (1775-06) by James MitanU.S. National Archives
The Flanking attempt
Around 3:30 p.m., Howe advanced his troops toward the defenses. While some attacked the redoubt, others moved along the Mystic River beach to bypass the rail fence. Unknown to Howe, the colonists had barricaded the beach and stopped the British in their tracks.
Battle of Bunker Hill (1862/1935) by Moran PercyBoston National Historical Park
A pen of slaughter
Colonial officers planted stakes in the ground to mark the point at which soldiers should fire. When the British came into range, the musket fire was devastating. The pasture intended for a flanking attack became a pen of slaughter, stalling the British momentum.
War 1765-1782 American Independance Battles Bunker Hill And CharlestownLIFE Photo Collection
Destruction of the town
British gunners used red-hot cannonballs to set the buildings of abandoned Charlestown on fire to drive out skirmishers. The fire destroyed the settlement, forcing residents to move or start life anew, while smoke from the town clouded the entire battlefield.
The Battle of Bunker-Hill - Watching the Fight from Copp's Hill, in Boston (published 1875) by after Winslow HomerNational Gallery of Art, Washington DC
The redoubt falls
As the British increased pressure, colonial forces ran low on ammunition. During a final assault, British soldiers and Marines mounted the walls and engaged in a bloody bayonet melee inside the redoubt. Any colonial survivor able to flee ran toward Bunker Hill.
The cost of liberty
British casualties totaled 1,054, while colonial losses were estimated at 450. In July 1775, George Washington assumed command of the forces. Today, the monument asks us to consider what it takes to stand for liberty as we strive to actualize our founding ideals.
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