command Charles' river on the fouth, and Myftic river on the north, and interrupt the communication between Boston and thofe parts of the Bay on both fides, in a great meafure. It would have been an cafy matter for the king's forces, who had the command of the river, to have fortified this neck, and rendered it exceedingly ferviceable to them. They found afterwards their mistake in neglecting it. The provincials confidered it of service for them, whether they should chufe to act on the defenfive or offenfive. There is a rifing ground, called Bunker-Hill, just within the neck, that joins the peninsula to the continent. This neck is very like that on which Bofton ftands; except the ifthmus is confiderably wider, and Bunker-hill higher than any hill in the other. The towns are only feparated by Charles' river, which, in that part, is only about the breadth of the Thames between London and Southwark; fo that Charlestown feemed to hold the fame connection with Boston, that the Borough does with London. Weft from Bunker-hill lies another rifing ground called Winterhill, and on the right hand, at a small distance, another called Profpe&t-hill; all these being contigious, were advantageous pofts, and were by this step in the poffeffion of the provincials.

The party that was fent in the night to fortify Bunker-hill, carried on their work with fo much fecrecy and expedition, that though the penixfula was furrounded with fhips of war and fpy boats, they were not heard during the night, and fuch extraordinary dispatch had they used, that in the morning by daybreak, they had a small redoubt, confiderable entrenchments, and a breast-work, that in fome parts was cannon proof, very near compleated. The fight

of

of thefe works was the first notice that alarmed the Lively man of war in the morning, and her guns cal led the town, camp, and fleet to behold a fight which appeared little less than a prodigy. A heavy and continued fire of cannon, howitzers, and mortars, was now carried on upon the works, from the ships, floating batteries, and from the top of Cop's-hill in Bofton. Such an inceffant and prodigious roar of artillery, would have been a trial to the courage and firmnefs of the oldeft foldiers, and must have undoubtedly greatly interrupted the finishing of the works; it was however faid, that the provincials bore this fevere fire with wonderful firmnefs, and feemed to go on with their bufinefs as if no enemy had been near, nor any danger in the fervice. Genéral Gage now perceived that the provincials were not to be frighted merely with the found of cannons and mortars, and that fome more effectual method behoved to be used to make them give over their undertaking. About noon, June 21ft, the fame day that the works were begun, and brought to the condition that has been mentioned, he ordered a confiderable body of troops under the command of Major Gen. Howe, and Brigadier Pigot, to drive the provincials from their works. This detachment confifted of 10 companies of grenadiers, as many of light infantry, and the 5th, 38th, 43d, 51ft, and 52d battalions, with a fuitable artillery, landed and drawn up without oppofition from the fhips of

war.

The two generals found the enemy fo adyantagiously posted, and in fuch a pofture of defence, that they thought it neceffary to send back for a reinforcement before they began the attack. They were accordingly joined with fome companies of light-infantry and grenadiers, by the 47thregiment, and bythe

ift battalion of marines, amounting in the whole, as reprefented by Gen. Gage's letter, to fomething more

than 2000 men.

The attack was begun by a heavy difcharge of cannon and howitzers, under which the troops advanced in a flow march towards the enemy, and halted feveral times to afford time for the artillery to destroy the works, and to throw the provincials into confufion. But this did not happen according to their expectations; for the enemy remained steady, and the troops were unusually staggered in this attack. The provincials threw fome men into the houses of Charlestown, which covered their right flank, by which means General Pigot, who commanded the left wing, and who behaved with great bravery and firmnefs, was at once expofed to the fire of the lines, and to that from the houses. In this attack Charlestown was fet on fire, and burnt to ashes. It remains a point yet undetermined how and by whom this town was set on fire; whether by bombs from the fhips, or by the troops. It is most probable that the troops fet it on fire, for their own defence against the attack that was made from the houses, and with a defign to diflodge the provincials that were in it. Whatever way happened, that fine town, confifting of 400 houses, was reduced to afhes. The provincials were ftill unmoved, notwithstanding the continual fire of imall arms and artillery. They behaved like veterans, and troops of the greatest experience. All this, while they did not return a fingle fhot, until the king's forces had almost approached their works, when a dreadful fire took place, by which a number of brave British officers fell. Some officers who had ferved in the most diftinguished actions in the last war, declared,

it

that

that this action, for the time it lafted, was the hottest engagement they ever faw. It is no wonder, if under fo heavy and deftructive a fire, our troops were thrown into disorder. It was reported that General Howe was for a few feconds left almost alone; and it is certain that most of the officers that were near his perfon were either killed or wounded. He deferves the greatest praise for his coolness and intrepidity on this. occafion; he fully difcovered, that folid and rational courage that has appeared fo' confpicuous in the family of the Howes. General Clinton, who at this time had juft arrived from Bofton, during the time of the engagement, is faid to have rallied the troops, and led. them on again to charge the enemy. After a moft dreadful carnage, they attacked the works with fixed. bayonets, and diflodged the provincials. This would have been a work of much more flaughter, provided the colonists had been fufficiently provided with bayonets; for though many of them had ne bayonets, and their ammunition was expended, they fought defperately within the works, and were with difficulty. drove from them. They, however, retreated over Charlestown neck, which was enfiladed by the guns of the Glasgow man of war, and of two floating batteries. Thefe did but fmall execution, though the dread of it had prevented fome regiments, who were ordered to fupport that poft from fulfilling their duty.

The battle of Bunker's-hill was one of the most bloody actions that has happened this long time, in which there were more British officers killed and wounded, according to the proportion of the number engaged, than were in any engagement laft war. According to the public accounts, published by authority, the whole lofs in killed and wounded amounted to 1054, of whom

220

226 were killed; of thefe 19 were commiffioned officers, including a lieutenant-colonel, 2 majors, and 7 captains; 70 other officers were wounded. Among those who were most lamented on this occafion were lieutenant-colonel Abercromby, and Major Pitcairne of the marines. The majors, Williams and Spendlove, the laft of which died of his wounds fome time after the action, had diftinguished themselves in fuch a manner as to make their lofs more fenfibly felt. The king's troops behaved with much bravery, as was manifeft by the event; for there was fcarce a fingle officer who had not an opportunity of fignalizing himself, and the generals and field officers used the most extraordinary efforts. All these things concur to fhew the dangerous and difficult fervice in which they were engaged. The battle of Quebec in the last war, with all the glory and vaft confequences that attended it, was not so destructive to our officers as this entrenchment, thrown up in a few hours. It was a matter of grievous reflection, that fuch brave men, many of whom had contributed to exalt the dignity of their .country in fubduing her enemies and enlarging her territories, fhould have fallen in fupporting a power that was seeking to enflave and ruin the British empire. These brave British officers found to their fad experience what wonderful exertions the fpirit of liberty will produce even in unexperienced and raw troops. The provincials, who had been rated as cowards and poltroons in the minifterial vocabulary, under the influence of the powerful fpirit of liberty fhewed inftances of wisdom, courage and intrepidity, that would not have disgraced troops of more experience and reputation. The confequences of this action were of more advantage to thofe that were fuppofed Nnn

to