The Battle of Bunker Hill

On this day, 250 years ago, the battle of Bunker Hill raged just outside the city of Boston.

This battle occurred in the aftermath of the clash at Lexington-Concord. After that battle, British troops retreated to their headquarters in Boston. Colonial forces took up positions around the city, including Bunker and Breed’s Hills across the river.

Boston is circled in red
Some of the colonial positions are circled in blue
Bunker and Breed's Hill are in the circle just above  Boston

The British decided to drive the colonists off the hills. On June 17th, they launched their attack – a frontal assault against colonial defenses.

The colonial commander, Colonel William Prescott, told his men “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”

The British closed. The colonists unleashed a devastating volley, forcing the British to retreat.

Being professionals, the British tried again. And again.

After three assaults and with colonial ammunition running low, the British finally succeeded.

Three Big Things

Let’s look at 3 big things about the Battle of Bunker Hill.

1. Wrong Name - The name of the battle is technically wrong. Fighting primarily took place at Breed’s Hill. Bunker Hill was behind the lines in colonial territory.
2. Costly Victory - Technically, the British were victorious. They took the hill and drove the colonists away. But it was costly – the British suffered over 1,000 casualties compared to less than 500 for the colonials. This disparity in casualties bolstered colonial confidence. As such, it was an American strategic and psychological victory.
3. Diverse Defenders - The colonial defenders displayed a surprising degree of class and ethnic diversity. Although many were of English descent, there were also immigrants from Ireland, Scotland, and Germany. About a dozen African Americans participated. One, Peter Salem, reputedly shot Maj John Pitcairn, the British commander at Lexington Concord. And the defenders came from all social classes – professionals, farmers, artisans, and workers. This shows that the fight for independence required Americans of all types to come together for the cause of freedom.

Today, a monument stands on the site of the battle. It’s there to remind us what happened in America 250 years ago.

Stay tuned for more updates leading to America’s 250th birthday.