368

by hearty, vigorous soldiers.* Nevertheless, a surprise was in store for the British; the provincials did not falter for a moment and soon convinced their antagonists that they had engaged in the struggle against their mother country with a definite object, and would not relinquish the fight until they had accomplished their object or had been completely defeated. Just before the beginning of the action, the troops on Bunker Hill were reinforced by two New Hampshire regiments under Stark, who took up a position on the left of the breastwork, but at considerable distance in the rear. They erected a rampart by pulling up the rail fences, placing them in parallel lines about three or four feet apart, and filling the intervening spaces with hay from the adjacent meadows.†

The British troops began their advance about three o'clock in the afternoon. Forming in two lines and stopping at intervals to allow the artillery opportunity to play, they marched slowly forward up the hill. The battle was expected to be very spectacular; consequently the roofs of the houses and churches and the hills around Boston were crowded with spectators, anxiously watching the approaching contest. The American officers had ordered the troops

Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. i., pp.

304-305.

Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, pp. 101-103; Bancroft, vol. iv., p. 221; Frothingham, Siege of Boston, p. 134; Heath's Memoirs, pp. 370, 378 (Abbatt's ed.).

not to waste a single shot, but to wait until the British had approached sufficiently near to make every shot effective. They therefore allowed the British to approach within 30 or 40 paces, when they opened upon them a terrific discharge, every shot reaching its mark. The slaughter was immense. The regular troops

For an

were thrown back in extreme disorder, and continued their headlong flight until they reached the landing place. Completely astounded and thoroughly angry, the British officers rallied the troops and again advanced; but again they were met by the same deadly fire and driven back, some of the troops not stopping until they had reached the boats.* unknown reason, Charlestown was now set on fire by Gage's orders, thus adding horror to the scene.† General Clinton hastened from Boston to aid and encourage the troops, but it was only with the greatest difficulty that the British officers persuaded the troops to advance up the hill a third time. "The thunder of artillery from batteries and ships; the bursting of bombshells; the sharp discharges of musketry; the shouts and yells of the combatants; the crash of burning buildings, and the dense volumes of

vol. iv., pp. 224-226; Frothingham, 137-146; Thacher, Military Journal, p. 27; Bancroft, Carrington, pp. 104-108; Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. i., pp. 305-309; Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. i., pp. 337-341; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 541-545.

Frothingham, Siege of Boston, p. 201 et seq.; Thacher, Military Journal, p. 28.

370

it to them.*

While these operations were in progress at the breastwork and redoubt, the British light infantry were endeavoring to carry the left end of the breastwork so that the Americans might be taken in flank, but there also they met a most stubborn resistance, calling for the greatest exertions on their part. The provincials there under Stark had also withheld their fire until the British were very near, when such an incessant stream of bullets was hurled against the British ranks that they were mowed down like wheat in a storm. Great resolution was displayed by both sides, but the British troops were unable to capture any of the lines held by the Americans until the latter discovered that the main body had left the hill. They then slowly retired, disputing the ground inch by inch, and finally succeeded in making good their retreat over the Neck. They next entrenched themselves on Prospect Hill about a mile from the scene of the battle. The British troops showed no disposition to pursue the provincials, being evidently content to remain in possession of that ground already captured.† Howe committed a great error in abandoning the pursuit, as he undoubtedly

*Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 545-546.

Bancroft, vol. iv., pp. 226-229; Frothingham, Siege of Boston, pp. 150-153; Heath's Memoirs, pp. 370-373, 379-387 (Abbatt's ed.); Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. i., pp. 310-315.

fourths of the patriot army and thus crippled or perhaps entirely subdued the rebellion at one blow. But this hesitancy to follow up an advantage was manifest in every battle in which Howe engaged and occasioned severe criticism.*

The result of this battle was far more important than the simple narration of the facts would seem to indicate, for it affected both Americans and British. As Irving says, "It was most eventful in its consequences. The British had gained the ground for which they contended; but, if a victory, it was more disastrous and humiliating to them than an ordinary defeat. They had ridiculed and despised

their enemy, representing them as dastardly and inefficient; yet here their best troops, led on by experienced officers, had repeatedly been repulsed by an inferior force of that enemy - mere yeomanry — from works thrown up in a single night, and had suffered a loss rarely paralleled in battle with the most veteran soldiery; for, according to their own returns, their killed and wounded, out of a detachment of two thousand men, amounted to one thousand and fiftyfour, and a large proportion of them officers. The loss of the Americans did not exceed four hundred and fifty. To the latter, this defeat, if *Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. i., p. 341. See also Trevelyan, p. 317.

See the table of losses in Frothingham, Siege of Boston, p. 193; and in Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, p. 111.