Okla-homey
6/17/2008, 05:43 AM
June 17, 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill begins
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/1746/exbunkerhillek3.jpg
Colonel Bill Prescott (sword and blue coat) at the moment he uttered the now immortal words, "don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes." -- that's about 40 yards to you and me
233 years ago today and over a year before issuance of our Declaration of Independence, British General William Howe lands his troops on the Charlestown Peninsula overlooking Boston, Massachusetts, and leads them against Breed's Hill, a fortified American position just below Bunker Hill.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9361/map6me.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Good guys in blue, "Lobsterbacks" in red
Yep, its confusing, but the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought over an American position on Breed's Hill. Anyhoo...
As the British advanced in columns against the Americans, militia colonel [B]William Prescott /B] reportedly told his men, "Don't one of you fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"
Prescott ordered this for two reasons. First, the American militiamen were not yet disciplined troops and firing before the the enemy were within lethal range was wasteful. Secondly, untrained men were not capable of loading and firing the three shots per minute which was the standard for trained infantrymen. Therefore, since they were only capable of getting off one salvo a minute, they had to make it count.
Thus, when the Redcoats were within 40 yards, the Americans let loose with a lethal barrage of musket fire, throwing the British into retreat. After reforming his lines, Howe attacked again, with much the same result.
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2006/pylebunkerhill7lv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
British assault. Such a sight was no doubt horrifying to behold if you were a young clerk, shopkeeper or farmer crouching in your trench atop Breed's Hill waiting to fire.
Prescott's men were now low on ammunition, though, and when Howe led his men up the hill for a third time, they reached the redoubts and engaged the Americans in hand-to-hand combat. At that point, its was all-she-wrote for the fellers not wearing scarlet. The Brits were seasoned, well trained, and by now, very, very upset this band of Massachusetts ruffians had the temerity to make them assault their position three times.
The Americans, unable to cope, were forced to retreat. However, by the end of the engagement, the Patriots’ gunfire had cut down nearly 1,000 enemy troops, including 92 officers. Of the 370 Patriots who fell, most were shot or skewered while in retreat or attempting to surrender.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3968/bunkerhilllg3lb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The third British assault carried the American position and slaughter ensued. Note the fact the Brit's had bayonets and the Patriots lacked them. Muzzle-loading muskets without bayonets were'nt much use except as clubs at close quarters combat
The British had won the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill, and Breed's Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula fell firmly under British control. Despite losing their strategic positions, the battle was a morale-builder for the Americans, convincing them that patriotic dedication could overcome superior British military might -- at least as long as the ammunition held out.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6619/excontinentaluk7.gif
Flag used by the Patriot force at Breed's Hill. The pine tree was a symbol adopted and then in use by New Englanders generally
The British and their leader General Lord William Howe entered the Battle of Bunker Hill overconfident. Had they merely taken a position at the Charlestown Neck, they could have isolated the Patriots with little loss of life.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7241/explorepahistorya0a9x1anf4.jpg
General Lord William Howe. The victor.
Instead, Howe had chosen to try to wipe out the Yankees by a direct assault on the Patriots’ well-defended position on top of the hill. The British would never make the same mistake again.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5677/warrendying0lu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Most famous image of the battle painted by Isaac Trumbull. It depicts action after the third and successful British assault when it had become a hand-to-hand struggle atop the Breed's Hill.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8475/insane7zo4ds.jpg
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/1746/exbunkerhillek3.jpg
Colonel Bill Prescott (sword and blue coat) at the moment he uttered the now immortal words, "don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes." -- that's about 40 yards to you and me
233 years ago today and over a year before issuance of our Declaration of Independence, British General William Howe lands his troops on the Charlestown Peninsula overlooking Boston, Massachusetts, and leads them against Breed's Hill, a fortified American position just below Bunker Hill.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9361/map6me.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Good guys in blue, "Lobsterbacks" in red
Yep, its confusing, but the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought over an American position on Breed's Hill. Anyhoo...
As the British advanced in columns against the Americans, militia colonel [B]William Prescott /B] reportedly told his men, "Don't one of you fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"
Prescott ordered this for two reasons. First, the American militiamen were not yet disciplined troops and firing before the the enemy were within lethal range was wasteful. Secondly, untrained men were not capable of loading and firing the three shots per minute which was the standard for trained infantrymen. Therefore, since they were only capable of getting off one salvo a minute, they had to make it count.
Thus, when the Redcoats were within 40 yards, the Americans let loose with a lethal barrage of musket fire, throwing the British into retreat. After reforming his lines, Howe attacked again, with much the same result.
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2006/pylebunkerhill7lv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
British assault. Such a sight was no doubt horrifying to behold if you were a young clerk, shopkeeper or farmer crouching in your trench atop Breed's Hill waiting to fire.
Prescott's men were now low on ammunition, though, and when Howe led his men up the hill for a third time, they reached the redoubts and engaged the Americans in hand-to-hand combat. At that point, its was all-she-wrote for the fellers not wearing scarlet. The Brits were seasoned, well trained, and by now, very, very upset this band of Massachusetts ruffians had the temerity to make them assault their position three times.
The Americans, unable to cope, were forced to retreat. However, by the end of the engagement, the Patriots’ gunfire had cut down nearly 1,000 enemy troops, including 92 officers. Of the 370 Patriots who fell, most were shot or skewered while in retreat or attempting to surrender.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3968/bunkerhilllg3lb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The third British assault carried the American position and slaughter ensued. Note the fact the Brit's had bayonets and the Patriots lacked them. Muzzle-loading muskets without bayonets were'nt much use except as clubs at close quarters combat
The British had won the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill, and Breed's Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula fell firmly under British control. Despite losing their strategic positions, the battle was a morale-builder for the Americans, convincing them that patriotic dedication could overcome superior British military might -- at least as long as the ammunition held out.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6619/excontinentaluk7.gif
Flag used by the Patriot force at Breed's Hill. The pine tree was a symbol adopted and then in use by New Englanders generally
The British and their leader General Lord William Howe entered the Battle of Bunker Hill overconfident. Had they merely taken a position at the Charlestown Neck, they could have isolated the Patriots with little loss of life.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7241/explorepahistorya0a9x1anf4.jpg
General Lord William Howe. The victor.
Instead, Howe had chosen to try to wipe out the Yankees by a direct assault on the Patriots’ well-defended position on top of the hill. The British would never make the same mistake again.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5677/warrendying0lu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Most famous image of the battle painted by Isaac Trumbull. It depicts action after the third and successful British assault when it had become a hand-to-hand struggle atop the Breed's Hill.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8475/insane7zo4ds.jpg