battle bunker hill fought june early stages american revolutionary war battle named bunker hill massachusetts involved battle original objective colonial british troops majority combat took place adjacent june leaders colonial forces besieging boston learned british planning send troops city hills surrounding city giving control boston harbor response colonial troops command occupied bunker hill night colonists constructed strong smaller fortified lines june british aware presence colonial forces peninsula mounted attack day assaults colonial positions repulsed significant british casualties final attack carried defenders ran ammunition colonists retreated cambridge leaving british control peninsula battle tactical victory british proved experience involving casualties americans incurred including large number officers battle demonstrated inexperienced militia able stand regular army troops battle subsequently battle discouraged british frontal attacks defended lines american casualties comparatively losses included general major final casualty battle battle led british adopt cautious planning maneuver execution future engagements evident subsequent new_york new_jersey campaign arguably helped hindered american forces new approach battle actually giving americans greater opportunity retreat defeat imminent costly engagement convinced british need hire substantial numbers foreign mercenaries bolster strength face new formidable continental_army geography boston situated peninsula largely protected close approach water surrounding dominated british warships aftermath battles lexington concord april colonial militia force men surrounded town effectively besieged command controlled land access boston lacking navy unable contest british domination waters harbor british troops force command general occupied city able reinforced sea theory able remain boston indefinitely land water boston contained number hills advantage militia obtain artillery pieces placed hills bombard city occupying army evacuated surrendered mind led later transported cannon boston area lying north boston started short narrow known northwest extending mile southeastward elevation feet lay northern end peninsula height feet southerly nearer boston town occupied flats southern end peninsula closest approach feet separated hill height breed hill british retreat concord ended immediately hills peninsula withdrawn troops boston day battle turning entire man land british planning response orders requesting support british received reinforcements reached strength men generals arrived hms began planning break city plan june plan began taking neck marching colonial forces stationed southern flank secured heights taken forces cambridge driven away attack set june june notified express messenger new_hampshire new_hampshire gentleman visiting boston british commanders making plans capture june decided additional defenses needed erected general ward directed general set defenses specifically prelude battle fortification breed hill night june colonial colonel led men peninsula order set positions artillery fire directed boston force men regiments unit commanded engineer captain disagreed locate defense work performed closer boston viewed arguably orders decided build primary men outline began digging square fortification feet ditches walls walls feet high wooden platform inside men stand fire walls works breed hill unnoticed british general clinton reconnaissance night aware tried convince howe needed prepare attack position daylight british aware activity apparently think cause alarm early board spotted new fortification notified captain lively opened fire temporarily halting colonists work aboard flagship admiral irritated gunfire ordered stopped decision fully aware situation morning ordered guns harbor batteries atop hill boston fire colonial position relatively little effect rising sun alerted significant problem location easily flanked promptly ordered men begin constructing running hill east deciding manpower build additional defenses west british preparations british generals met discuss options general clinton urged attack early possible preferred attack beginning cut colonists retreat reducing process capturing new occupants generals howe senior officer present lead assault opinion hill open easy ascent short easily carried general concurred arguing match trained troops orders issued prepare expedition general surveyed works boston staff recognized brother law colonel fight asked men answer replied colonel fight gates hell lived word men colonists suffered casualty young private killed cannon fire gave orders bury man quickly quietly large group men gave funeral instead shortly took hours british organize infantry force gather inspect men parade general howe lead major assault drive colonial left flank rear brigadier general british left flank lead direct assault major led flank reserve force took trips transport howe initial forces consisting men eastern corner peninsula known point howe chosen force landed crossing river howe noted large number colonial troops believing reinforcements immediately sent message requesting additional troops ordered light infantry forward position eastern peninsula colonists intended course action troops sat eat waited reinforcements colonists reinforce positions seeing british preparations called reinforcements reinforcements popular young leader aging massachusetts militia leader men held commissions rank chose serve infantry ordered connecticut men captain defend left flank crude dirt wall topped fence rails hay constructed small shaped trenches dirt wall troops arrived reinforce flank position included men 1st 3rd new_hampshire regiments stark men arrive howe landed forces filled gap defense howe taken advantage pressed attack sooner took positions northern end colonial position low tide opened gap north quickly extended fence short stone wall water edge colonel stark placed stake feet fence ordered fire regulars passed prior action reinforcements arrived including portions massachusetts regiments nixon little major moore company artillery colonial lines confusion reigned units sent action stopped crossing neck cambridge constant fire gun batteries south reached uncertain commentator wrote scene appears confusion command general scene attempting direct affairs unit commanders misunderstood orders british assault british reinforcements included 47th foot 1st marines arrived british ready march brigadier general force gathering south village taking casualties sniper fire howe asked admiral graves assistance clearing graves planned possibility ordered shot fired village sent landing party set fire town smoke lent surreal backdrop fighting winds smoke kept field battle commanding 5th 38th 43rd 47th 52nd regiments major marines assault continued saw happened howe advance ordered retreat general howe led light infantry companies assault american left flank expecting easy effort stark recently arrived troops light infantry set narrow beach column order turn far left flank colonial position deployed middle lined deep regulars closed new_hampshire man prematurely fired drawing ineffective volley return fire regulars regulars finally closed range sides opened fire colonists inflicted heavy casualties regulars fence steady aim muskets benefit cover devastating barrage musket fire regulars retreated disarray militia held ground regulars reformed field marched time assault possibly assistance howe force howe instead marching stark position beach marched instead position rail fence outcome second attack british observer wrote light infantry moment presenting lost tenths men men company left fare better attack ordered retreat rear colonial forces confusion continued reign general tried limited success send additional troops bunker hill breed hill support men defensive lines british rear disarray wounded soldiers mobile way landing areas ferried boston wounded lying field battle source cries pain general howe deciding try sent word general clinton boston additional troops clinton watched attacks sent men 2nd marines 63rd foot followed help rally troops addition new reserves convinced wounded form attack interval second assaults general continued trying direct troops action companies groups men moved action retreated connecticut captain seeing entire company retreat ordered company aim muskets company halt retreat turned headed battlefield assault concentrated colonists flank successful colonists poured musket fire british ranks cost life defenders run ammunition reducing battle close combat british advantage entered troops equipped muskets colonists colonel colonists leave bayonet normally ceremonial sabre retreat killed retreat colonial forces peninsula possible controlled retreat forces rail fence led prevented hill disciplined retreat described flight covered bravery military skill effective wounded saved prisoners taken british mortally wounded general attempted reform troops bunker hill flight colonial forces rapid artillery pieces tools abandoned colonists suffered casualties retreat colonists retreated fortified positions cambridge british control peninsula aftermath british taken ground great loss suffered casualties dead wounded number officers casualty count highest suffered british single encounter entire war general clinton echoing remarked diary victories shortly end british dominion america british dead wounded included commissioned officers significant portion british officer corps north_america general howe field staff casualties major killed lieutenant colonel fatally wounded general report battle reported following officer casualties listing lieutenant colonel killed majors killed wounded captains killed wounded killed wounded killed wounded drummer killed wounded colonial losses killed colonial losses came withdrawal major technically highest ranking colonial officer die battle hit cannon fire person killed battle later commemorated dedication fort maine loss patriot cause death president massachusetts provincial congress appointed major general june commission taken effect served volunteer private days later bunker hill thirty men captured british wounds died held prisoner lost numerous tools cannon brought peninsula political consequences news battle spread colonies reported colonial loss ground taken enemy significant casualties incurred george_washington way boston new commander continental_army received news battle new_york_city report included casualty figures somewhat inaccurate gave washington hope army prevail conflict seeking repeat sort propaganda victory won following battles lexington concord commissioned report battle send england report reach england official account arrived july report caused friction argument casualty counts alarmed military establishment forced views colonial military capability king george attitude colonies hardened news contributed rejection substantive political attempt reconciliation sir majority wrote lord colonies sooner taste distress sooner crown control produced stop month receiving report issued response british position lead previously weak support rebellion especially southern colonies favor independence report direct effect career dismissal office decided days report received replace october wrote report repeated earlier warnings large army length employed reduce people require hiring foreign troops analysis written wake battle conducted sides strategic tactical altered outcome battle gives biased view things apparent battle reasonably reach command day years battle published account battle port magazine accusing general leadership failing supply reinforcements battle subsequently sparked long lasting major controversy veterans war friends family members historians disposition colonial forces colonial forces nominally overall command general colonel leading field acted independently evident opening stages battle tactical decision strategic implications general colonel colonel staff apparently orders decided fortification breed hill provocative offensive artillery closer boston exposed forces possibility trapped probably properly defend attempts british land troops control british taken step victory fewer casualties lines colonial forces generally managed scene especially action began significantly disorganized poor chain command militias operated directly ward authority commanders orders staying bunker hill joining defense british assault officers subjected court martial colonel opinion assault repulsed forces reinforced men supplies ammunition powder disposition british forces british leadership acted slowly works breed hill spotted troops ready assault roughly hours lively opened fire pace gave colonial forces time reinforce flanking positions poorly defended howe decided frontal assault works simple matter gaining control given victory risks colonists holding neck expensive fire high ground cambridge british leadership excessively optimistic believing regiments sufficient beat strength province field howe focusing opted twice force attacking flanking maneuver colonial left attack flank attack merely main force reinforced additional reserves targeted attack succeeded following taking peninsula british arguably tactical advantage press cambridge general clinton proposed howe having led assaults casualties declined idea colonial military leaders eventually recognized howe tentative decision maker aftermath tactical advantages delivered washington army hands refused act maintains general royal_navy secure narrow neck charleston peninsula cutting americans mainland achieved far costly victory motivated revenge patriot resistance battles lexington concord relatively heavy british losses felt colonial militia completely overtaken little effort opting frontal assault whites eyes famous order don fire whites eyes popularized stories battle uncertain said histories including eyewitness accounts attribute said repeated original statement idea dates originally general king gave standing orders fire till image pupil enemy eye military teachings widely admired imitated caused saying repeated general plains troops defeated army september earliest similar quote came june lieutenant colonel sir warned regiment fire white phrase repeated mentioned histories colonial military leaders familiar actually said battle clear colonial military leadership regularly reminding troops hold fire moment greatest effect especially situations ammunition limited notable participants significant number notable people fought battle example went distinguished military political careers served congress cabinet diplomatic posts like known later actions war stark known hero role battle free african americans fought battle notable examples include salem poor notable participant later famous army protest rebellion israel potter years exile novel colonel commanded served rebellion congressman new_york col read served bunker hill went settle geneva new_york pennsylvania said instrumental phrase added coins massachusetts militia shot knee bunker hill went war master builder uss constitution old oldest naval vessel world commissioned afloat painting death general warren battle bunker hill displayed created depiction battle warren death actual recording event painting shows number participants battle including british officer stormed came holding mortally wounded warren preventing fellow friends central figures include man fall battle stands feet high june anniversary battle cornerstone monument laid address delivered died buried wife soil son specifically designed evoke monument statue showing men national_park_service operates museum dedicated battle near monument battle added museum renovated nearby cambridge small granite monument north bears inscription assembled night june continental troops command colonel prayer president marched picture minister harvard 11th president small monument nearby marks location patriots provisional government left cambridge monuments lawn west harvard west harvard huge map observed june legal holiday massachusetts includes city boston site colonial fortifications overlooking located previously state institutions massachusetts public institutions higher education located boston celebrate holiday state budget requires state municipal offices open bunker hill day evacuation day june centennial battle celebrated military parade reception featuring notable speakers general vice president attended dignitaries country celebratory events marked anniversary years battle commemorated stamps
Battle of Bunker Hill