The Battle of Bunker Hill

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on 17th June 1775, during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on the Charlestown Peninsula near Boston, Massachusetts, primarily on Breed’s Hill, which is often mistakenly referred to as Bunker Hill.

The battle began when American colonial forces learned that the British planned to fortify the hills surrounding Boston. In response, about 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupied Breed’s Hill and constructed a strong redoubt overnight. By dawn, the British were aware of the colonial presence and launched an attack.

The British forces, led by General William Howe, made three assaults on the colonial positions. The first two assaults were repulsed with heavy British casualties, but the third assault succeeded after the colonial forces ran out of ammunition. The Americans were forced to retreat, leaving the British in control of the peninsula.

Although the British technically won the battle, it was a Pyrrhic victory. They suffered 1,054 casualties, including many officers, while the Americans incurred around 450 casualties. The battle demonstrated that the inexperienced colonial militia could stand up to the professional British troops, boosting the morale of the American forces and encouraging the revolutionary cause.

The Battle of Bunker Hill was a significant early engagement in the American Revolution, showing that the conflict would be long and hard-fought. It also led the British to adopt a more cautious approach in future battles, avoiding direct frontal assaults against well-defended positions.

Orders of Battle

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