THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.
=160. More Regulars sent to Boston.=--The battle of Lexington, fought as
we have read, on the nineteenth of April, 1775, was a most momentous
event, since it showed for the first time the resolute purpose of the
Americans to draw the sword and defend themselves from British
oppression. The news reached England near the end of May. Those
Lexington muskets said plainer than words that the colonies would not
submit to unjust taxation.
Fully aware that the situation was becoming serious, the British
government sent a large number of fresh troops to reinforce the garrison
in Boston. These came under the command of Generals Howe, Clinton, and
Burgoyne, and made in all an army of about ten thousand men.
=161. A Patriot Army is gathered around Boston.=--The patriots, too, were
gathering in large numbers around Boston. They came by hundreds from all
directions. Quite a large body was from Connecticut under Colonel
(afterwards General) Israel Putnam. General Ward was commander of these
forces until Washington arrived at Cambridge on July 3, 1775, and first
took command of the American army under the old elm.
On the twelfth of June, General Gage issued a proclamation declaring all
those in arms to be rebels and traitors, but offering pardon to all who
would lay down their weapons and obey the British governor. Two, John
Hancock and Samuel Adams, were excepted. Their patriotism had been too
intense and outspoken to be forgiven.
[Illustration: WASHINGTON TAKING COMMAND OF THE PATRIOT ARMY.]
The American army, now nearly twenty thousand strong, formed a line of
encampments in a great semicircle of sixteen miles, halfway around the
city from Roxbury Neck to the Mystic River. They soon learned that Gage
intended to break through the American lines into the country for a
supply of provisions.
=162. Plans to checkmate the British.=--General Ward, having discovered
that the British were planning to sally forth through Charlestown,
determined to strike first and so defeat their project. It was decided
to seize and fortify some suitable hill in Charlestown. Colonel William
Prescott, a well-tried soldier of the French-Indian wars, and
grandfather of Prescott, the famous historian, was ordered, on the
sixteenth of June, to march that night with nearly a thousand men to
Bunker Hill and throw up breastworks.
Soon after sunset the soldiers were formed in a hollow square on
Cambridge Common, and President Langdon of Harvard College offered
prayer. The good man then gave them his blessing and bade them
"Godspeed." At nine o'clock they started on their silent march. At
Charlestown Neck they met General Putnam with more soldiers and
wagon-loads of picks and shovels.
=163. Entrenched on Bunker Hill.=--Prescott led them to the top of Bunker
Hill. After consultation with his officers, he moved on through the
darkness to Breed's Hill, which had a better command of the city and the
shipping. The lines were soon staked out, and at midnight the farmer
soldiers began their entrenchments. So rapidly did they work that the
dim morning twilight disclosed a large square of fresh trenches
crowning the hill, with long wings stretching right and left. They had
made a fort in a single night.
How surprised the British were at the sight, as the sun rose on a
beautiful summer morning! They could scarcely believe their eyes. It
seemed like a work of magic. A thousand men had shoveled as they never
shoveled before, and not a British sentry had heard the click of their
spades. They saw at once that the Americans, if they only had time
enough to plant a battery of cannon there, could very soon drive them
out of Boston. So the only thing for them to do was to drive the
Americans from that hill, and that too without delay. Accordingly, the
British men-of-war, Lively and Falcon, and then the forts on Copp's Hill
in Boston immediately opened fire.
Meanwhile some hundreds of fresh soldiers arrived to help the Americans,
hungry and weary with their hard night's work. The shot and shell from
ships and fort dropped around and among them, but they worked bravely on
in the hot sunshine till nearly noon. At the left, on the northern slope
of the hill, they moved some rail fences so as to build long double
lines close together, and stuffed the space between with new-mown hay,
making an excellent breastwork.
=164. The British prepare to storm the Entrenchments.=--Things are now
looking serious. The Americans can see and hear the British in Boston
preparing for an attack. Prescott sends hurrying messengers to General
Ward at the Cambridge headquarters for more soldiers. During the
forenoon General Stark arrives with five hundred fresh New Hampshire
troops, who were posted behind the rail fence on the extreme left. Next
General Warren comes, and, laying aside his rank, takes a place of
danger among the troops. The combat hastens, and every minute throbs
with emotion.
Soon after one o'clock twenty-eight large boats are seen crossing over
from Boston, loaded with soldiers and artillery. The Americans are now
exchanging shovels for muskets and preparing for the foe. Now the
red-coats are landing at the foot of the hill! See! they are forming in
two columns, their bright cannon and muskets glistening in the hot sun.
It is now about three o'clock in the afternoon. They begin to march up
the hill!
General Howe's column is on our left, to break through the grass wall
and push his way behind our forces. Their other column, under General
Pigot, is marching up the hill to attack our redoubt in front. They are
coming slowly in the hot sun of a bright June afternoon. The artillery
booms and crashes incessantly with a deafening roar.
General Gage has ordered that Charlestown be set on fire, and the flames
and smoke of five hundred burning buildings make a terrible scene. All
the surrounding heights, house-tops, and spires are crowded with
thousands of anxious spectators breathlessly watching the thrilling
sight.
"Here were sister, wife, and mother, looking wild upon each other,
And their lips were white with terror as they said, 'THE HOUR HAS
COME!'"
=165. The Battle begins.=--Behind those hasty breastworks fifteen hundred
patriots lie silently awaiting the steady march of over three thousand
trained British soldiers. Still on and up they toil, burdened with their
heavy knapsacks, pausing to fire as they march.
"Don't fire until I give the word," said Prescott; "then fire low! Pick
off the officers."
Putnam shouted to his men: "Powder is scarce, boys, don't waste it; wait
till you see the whites of their eyes."
When the red-coats came within about a hundred and fifty feet of the
breastworks, suddenly came Prescott's sharp order:--"Fire!" Instantly a
flash of flame blazed along our entire line, and down fell the whole
front of the advancing ranks. Under the ceaseless rain of bullets the
British veterans gave way and retreated down the hillside in disorder.
Then burst forth from our side a strong shout, the first ringing cry on
this continent for national independence. But it was a sad sight--the
long rows of dead and dying soldiers, mowed down as if by a sudden sweep
of a giant scythe.
"Oh, the sight our eyes discover as the blue-black smoke blows over!
The red-coats stretched in windrows as a mower rakes his hay."
Inside the breastworks some were killed and many wounded. Prescott,
Putnam, and Warren were passing up and down the line, cheering and
encouraging the patriots.
=166. The British beat a Hasty Retreat to their Boats.=--The British
officers rallied their troops as best they could. Death and wounds had
thinned their number by hundreds, and the survivors were far from
willing to make a second charge against that wall of fire. But the
threats of the officers and even blows with their swords finally
compelled them to it.
Up they marched again, firing as they came, their ranks moving slowly,
stepping over the bodies of their fallen comrades.
"Wait, boys!" shouted Warren. "Don't fire yet! Wait."
On they came as before, nearer and nearer, until the distance was less
than thirty yards to our silent but fatal line, when instantly there
burst forth another long blaze of fire, even deadlier than before.
[Illustration: BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.]
The Americans were by practice good marksmen, and the bright red coats
and shining belts of the enemy made excellent targets. The British
returned the fire, and a brisk discharge of musketry was kept up for a
few minutes. But it was useless. Hundreds of their number fell dead on
the fatal slope, and in spite of their officers, the broken ranks
staggered and retreated, flying in a panic to the shore.
=167. The British advance to the Third Attack.=--Now all was fright and
confusion among the British. They were dismayed at the deadly reception
our untrained soldiers had given them. General Clinton, who had been
watching the battle from Copp's Hill and saw the day going against them,
instantly hurried over with fresh troops. Once more the British regulars
formed at the foot of the hill.
We may imagine with what mingled feelings the Americans, gazing down
through the rifts of smoke from burning Charlestown, watched the
movements of the reinforced foe. Putnam and Warren again went around
cheering our men.
Prescott shouted, "Let's drive them back once more, and they cannot
rally again."
But alas! the stock of powder was giving out! The patriots had only
three or four rounds left, and as for close fighting, there were only
about fifty bayonets to all their guns. Orders were passed along to use
their powder carefully, to hold fire until the enemy came within twenty
yards, and to make every shot tell.
Meantime the enemy's cannon from the ships had got a better range, and
were pouring in a galling fire. The prospect on our side was beginning
to look desperate. Short of powder; without bayonets; confronted by
brave enemies always twice our number, and now with fresh troops; tired
out with marching or digging all night and shoveling or fighting all
day; for the most part without food and water,--our men still defiantly
held the fort.
At five o'clock the British formed for the third attack, advancing now
in three columns to charge us on three sides. This time their knapsacks
were laid aside, and they marched in light order. Up they came as
before, only slower; for they realized that they had a dangerous enemy
before them. They reserved their fire. When they reached that same
deadly range, once more our ramparts poured forth the deadly volleys.
The British wavered, but then rallied and rushed forward to the
breastworks with fixed bayonets.
"Make every shot tell!" shouted Prescott to his men.
As the British began to climb over our earthworks, our soldiers spent
their last shots upon those who mounted first. Among those who fell dead
at the redoubt was Major Pitcairn, who at Lexington had cried out,
"Disperse, ye rebels!"
=168. The Patriots forced to retreat from Lack of Ammunition.=--Their
powder all gone, what could the patriots do but retreat? This they did
in good order for raw soldiers, many staying to smite the enemy with the
butts of their muskets, then with the barrels after the butts were
broken off, and some even with stones. The British were now closing in
upon them on all sides, and at last Prescott, to avoid being completely
shut in, gave the word to retreat. He was one of the last to leave,
defending himself with his sword from the bayonets of the enemy.
Alas! one shot of the last volley from the British killed our beloved
Warren! When General Howe heard of this he said, "Warren's death is
equal to the loss of five hundred men to the Americans."
Stark and Knowlton held the grass fence till the troops had left the top
of the hill, and then retreated with them in good order to Charlestown
Neck. On their way back they met at Bunker Hill General Putnam, who had
collected fresh soldiers and wanted to occupy the trenches he had formed
there, and make a fresh stand against the enemy. But the British ships
on both sides could rake this position, and it was decided to move back
to Prospect Hill, which our forces fortified. It was about six o'clock
when the retreat began.
=169. Bunker Hill and the Lesson it taught.=--In less than three hours,
and with only one hour of actual fighting, all these fearful scenes
were enacted. The Americans, with about fifteen hundred men, lost four
hundred and fifty killed and wounded. But the British, with over three
thousand, had lost one thousand and fifty-four, of whom one hundred and
fifty-seven were officers!
Although in form the result of the battle was a defeat, as our army lost
their ground, yet its effect upon the Americans was that of a victory.
It taught them that they were a match for the British troops in a fair
fight. This knowledge nerved them to further resistance against royal
oppression. Thus this battle, the first clear bugle-call of the
Revolution, proving beyond all doubt that the British troops were not
invincible, was worth just at this time many decided victories to the
Americans. To the patriots of every colony it gave strength and heart,
and the belief that their cause would succeed. In the march of events
and of ideas Bunker Hill was of momentous importance. It gave the shock
that made the patriots conscious of their might; it cleared their vision
and roused them to action.
When Washington first heard of the battle he was riding on horseback to
take command of the army at Cambridge. "Did our men stand fire?" he
asked of the messenger. Being told that they did, and that they waited
till the enemy was only eight rods off, he said, "The liberties of the
country are safe!"
But if the Americans learned that they could fight, the British learned
it too! General Gage wrote home: "The trials we have had prove the
rebels are not the despicable rabble too many have supposed them to be."
"If they call that a victory," said a French general, "two or three more
such would extinguish the British army."
"I wish," said General Greene, "that we could sell the British another
hill at the same price."
After Gage had made his formal report of the battle to his superior
officers in England, he was called back in disgrace, and was never
entrusted with another military service. Generals Howe and Clinton
learned a costly lesson, and never again through the war that followed
did they lead their men in an open field against entrenched American
soldiers.
Such, briefly told, is the story of Bunker Hill. The truth is, the whole
movement was on the part of the Americans an audacious act. There was
more heroism in it than military prudence. General Ward had at Cambridge
only a few barrels of powder for his entire army; and to send a thousand
men to entrench before a well prepared enemy, in front of batteries and
warships, though it needed to be done, was yet, from a military point of
view, a very rash act. On the other hand, General Gage made a very
unwise military movement. No wonder he was censured for the reckless
sacrifice of his soldiers at Bunker Hill.
=170. Bunker Hill Monument.=--On the crown of the hill and in the center
of the old redoubt stands the splendid monument that tells of this
famous struggle. The square shaft is of Quincy granite, thirty-one feet
on each side at the base, fifteen feet at the top, two hundred and
twenty-one feet in height. Inside, a stairway of two hundred and
ninety-four stone steps leads to a room at the top, whose four windows
command a view of wonderful extent and beauty. Just by the base of the
monument we can see to-day a little grassy ridge, the slight remains of
the breastworks of 1775.
The corner-stone was laid by Lafayette in 1825, exactly fifty years
after the battle, and on that occasion Daniel Webster delivered one of
his greatest orations. In front of him sat forty venerable survivors of
the conflict. The finished structure was dedicated in 1842. On this
occasion Webster again delivered a magnificent oration.