Bunker Hill or Breed's Hill??
Kathleen L.
The Battle of Bunker Hill wasn't fought on Bunker
Hill but on the nearby Breed's Hill. The Battle took place on June 17,
1775, in Boston, near Boston Harbor. The Battle was part of the war for
independence between the British and the American colonists.
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This is the grass and path
on Bunker Hill
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The colonists were warned by spies
that the British were preparing to march and to seize the Dorchester Heights
and Charlestown peninsulas. These peninsulas offered a commanding view
of the seaport and harbor, and they were important in preserving the security
of Boston.
The colonists were ordered to start fortifying
Bunker Hill but fortified Breed's Hill instead. There are many theories
as to why they did this. Some historians say it was a mistake due to incorrect
maps or miscalculations during the night. Others think it was a strategic
decision because Breed's Hill was closer to Boston Harbor and they could
attack British ships as well. Another theory is that the men in the field
didn't know how to follow orders and selected the wrong hill.
Both of the hills were on the Charlestown peninsula,
which was approached by a narrow strip of land. Bunker Hill was the higher
of the two hills and it overlooked the smaller Breed's Hill. The British
could have easily surrounded the peninsula, because all their ships were
there, cutting it off. Then the British troops could have made an attack
and overpowered the colonists into submission. The colonists would have
even aided in this attack by not fortifying the higher Bunker Hill.
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This is us on Bunker Hill
next to the Monument
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General Gage of the British army decided against
a siege and instead decided on a full frontal assault on the American
position. He believed that the new troops of the colonists, made up of
mostly farmers, would surrender or run from the superiority of the professional
soldiers of the British army.
The Battle went well, and the British attacked three times. On the third time the colonists ran out of ammunition completely. They then had to retreat to a different position which was the higher Bunker Hill. Fighting with whatever they could find including teeth, rocks, and hands and feet, they finally go to the bottom the hill. This battle was a moral victory to the colonists and gave them the strength to keep on fighting and win the war.
"Battle of Bunker (Breed's) Hill June 17, 1775"
members.tripod.com/`grgordon/bunkerhi.htm:
Battle of Bunker Hill,
26 October 2000
"Where and when was the Battle of Bunker Hill
fought?"
ask.yahoo.com/20000704.html:
The Battle of Bunker Hill
26 October 2000
"The Battle of Bunker/Breeds Hill"
www.greeceny.com/arm/welch/bunker.htm:
The Battle of Bunker Hill
26 October 2000
"A Brief History"
www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/MilSci/BTSI/Hill/:
WPI Military Science: Battle of Breeds Hill/ Bunker Hill
26 October 2000