Boston is located on a peninsula, virtually an island with the Boston Harbor surrounding it. It is connected to the mainland by what's known now as the Roxbury neck. To the north of Boston, Charlestown sits on its own peninsula, the southern tip of which is only 1000 yards away.
On yet another peninsula to the south of Boston Harbor lies the Dorchester Heights.
On April 19th, 1775, following Lexington and Concord, an army of 15,000 colonial militia have bottled up a British army of around 6,000 men on the Boston peninsula.
General Thomas Gage, commanding the British had just been reinforced. In addition, on May 25th, three Generals arrived on HMS Cerberus: William Howe, John Burgoyne, and Henry Clinton. Gage began planning with them ways to break out of the city.
It was decided to first take the Dorchester Heights to the south, from which they could proceed down to the "neck" and thus route the rebel forces there. They would then send a force to retake Charlestown which they had abandoned following the debacle surrounding Lexington and Concord. The plan was finalized on June 12th, and scheduled for June 18th.
But on June 13th, the colonials learned of the British intentions and started making plans of their own. General Israel Putman was directed to set up defenses on the Charlestown Peninsula and to specifically fortify the tallest hill in the area -- Bunker Hill.
So on the night of June 16th, 1775 a force of around 1,200 colonial militia under Putman and Colonel William Prescott arrived in the area to set up fortifications that could be used to mount artillery. If the colonials could mount artillery on the heights to the north and east of Charlestown on the peninsula, the British position in both Boston and Boston Harbor would become untenable.
Putman, and Prescott upon arrival on Bunker Hill now began to debate whether or not Bunker Hill was the best place to set up the fortifications. It was the highest hill in the area, but the smaller Breed's Hill just to the south was closer to the harbor.
Some fortifications were built on Bunker Hill, but it was decided that Breed's Hill would be the main location.
The redoubt on Breed's Hill was 6 feet high with a wooden platform running underneath to serve as a firing platform.
The British, of course noticed the rebel goings-on. At 4:00am the following morning, a British sentry on board the HMS Lively spotted the new fortifications, and informed the ship's captain who then ordered the ship's guns to open fire. This only temporarily halted the work being done on the fortifications as a short time later the bombardment was halted.
The British Generals now huddled together and decided to fire on the rebel position on Breed's Hill with every gun they had -- 128 guns from the ships in the harbor, plus the guns located in Boston.
But the bombardment had relatively little effect and the British decided to assault the position with their infantry.
It took almost 6 hours to organize the assault which was to be commanded by General Howe. The initial force was numbered around 1,200. They crossed by longboat and were all assembled by around 2:00pm.
But the attack was delayed when Howe noticed a large number of colonial militia on Bunker Hill, and asked for reinforcements. Howe and his men settled down to wait until this was accomplished.
The colonial militia, in the meantime reinforced their position and extended the flank out to the east with crude breastworks made out of dirt and hay.
By 3:00pm, the British reinforcements had arrived and they were ready to march.
General Howe led the first assault on the newly constructed colonial left flank breastworks, expecting it to be easy.
The British regulars advanced 4 ranks deep in a line several hundred across as if on parade. When they were in range, both sides started letting loose volleys of fire on each other.
But the colonists were behind cover, and the British were out in the open. The British took heavy casualties and retreated in disarray.
The British tried again, but this time in a differnt place along the flank. Also, another British force attacked the main redoubt in front.
But the results were the same, and the British regulars retreated.
Then came the third assault, this time on the main redoubt. This time the British regulars gained the top of the hill as the colonists were running out of ammunition.
The fighting was now hand-to-hand.
The British now had the advantage being armed with bayonets. This is where the colonists took most of their casualties.
The colonists were now forced to retreat, but to the surprise of the British, did so in good order. But it happened so rapidly that all of the artillery and entrenching tools had to be abandoned.
The British took the ground, but at a horrific price of 1,054 casualties (226 dead, and 828 wounded. A large number of British officers were killed including Major Pitcaim who was involved in the Lexington and Concord expedition.
Colonial losses numbered around 450 of which 140 were killed. They also lost 5 out of the 6 cannon that they had taken with them to the peninsula.
