On a clear summer day in June of 1775, 1,500 untrained American troops fought a losing battle against over 2,000 professional British soldiers. The confrontation was dubbed the Battle of Bunker Hill. The battle was fought under three generals, with foolish battle strategies, and became a strong foundation for the rest of the Revolution.
The forces involved in Bunker Hill were led by General Howe, Warren, and Putnam. Howe, who would go on to capture New York City and Philadelphia, lead the 2,400 British troops against Warren, the Chief Executive of the revolutionary Massachusetts government, and Putnam, a founder of the Sons of Liberty. William Prescott also played a key role in the battle by holding the line on Breeds Hill against the oncoming waves of British soldiers.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was filled with strategies that lacked sophistication and common sense. The first mistake was by troops under orders of Artemas Ward, an American Major General, who took up positions at Breeds Hill which was 35 feet shorter and 600 yards closer to British-occupied Boston. The next was by General Howe who, being overconfident in the abilities of his men, opted for a full land assault instead of a more methodical encircling of American forces by boat. A single column of British soldiers was sent along the beach adjacent to Breeds Hill in a half-hearted attempt to flank the defending forces. The column was dispatched by a battalion of New Hampshire riflemen leaving the British with only one option a full frontal assault. After charging the first time, and the second after that, the British were held off by volleys fired by the Americans. Not one to be defeated, Howe ordered a bayonet assault on the revolutionary defenses. Having already exhausted their ammunition, William Prescott, the commander of the Breeds Hill forces, ordered a hasty retreat. In his excessive caution, possibly derived from the huge losses (about 1,100 casualties) that the British had received, Howe failed to chase the fleeing Americans and capitalize on his victory by attacking the weakly held revolutionary headquarters located in Cambridge. Overall, the mistakes of the British strategists more than made up for those made by the Americans.
The outcome of Bunker Hill had a strong and lasting effect on the remainder of the Revolutionary War. The battle, among the first in the Revolutionary War, set a foundation for future conflicts and showed the rest of the world that they were a force to be reckoned with. British morale was blunted, while that of the Americans sky rocketed even though they did, technically, lose the battle. The rebels now knew they could stand up against the British and win. Moreover, Bunker Hill was recaptured by the revolutionaries a short time after their “defeat” by the British, negating any ill-effect the battle may have had on the American people.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was an excellent pushing-off-point for the revolutionaries. It stripped the British of their confidence and revealed their faults to the Americans. The battle itself foreshadowed a long, costly, war that would be won by and incredibly small margin.
Bailyn, Bernard. “The Decisive Day is Come: The Battle of Bunker Hill”. The Massachusetts Historical Society. 2003. September 26, 2010. .
“The Battle of Bunker (Breeds) Hill”. TheAmericanRevolution.org. September 26, 2010. http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battledetail.aspx?battle=5.
“The Battle of Bunker Hill 1775”. BritishBattles.com. 2010. September 26, 2010. http://www.britishbattles.com/bunker-hill.htm.
“Bunker Hill”. USHistory.org. September 26, 2010. http://www.ushistory.org/us/11d.asp.
