About nine in the evening of June 16
On the north bank , opposite Boston , lies the town of Charlestown , behind which , in the center of the peninsula , rises an eminence called Bunker 's Hill . Bunker 's Hill is sufficiently high to overlook any part of Boston and near enough to be within cannon-shot . This hill was unoccupied by either party , and about this time the Americans , hearing that General Gage had come to a determination to fortify it , resolved to defeat his resolution by being the first to occupy it . About nine in the evening of June 16 a detachment from the colonial army , one thousand strong , under the command of Colonel Prescott , moved along the Charlestown road and took up a position on a shoulder of Bunker 's Hill , which was known as Breed 's Hill , just above the town of Charlestown . They reached this position at midnight . Each man carried a pick and shovel , and all night they worked vigorously in intrenching the position . Not a word was spoken , and the watch on board the men-of-war in the harbor were ignorant of what was going on so near at hand .