Bunker Hill Research Paper

Everyone loves the story of the underdog. In the J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Rings novels, the “Miracle on Ice” hockey game of 1980, and The Rocky boxing movie, we witness an underrated ‘little-guy’ taking down a much larger and more powerful threat. While there are many famous fictional stories of overcoming impossible challenges, the ones from real life moments are possibly the most famous and awe-inspiring. One such case is the American Revolution. With the entire war itself being a triumph over a much more powerful enemy, one battle in particular is truly known to show the mentality of “if there is a will, there is a way”. It is The Battle of Bunker Hill. While the British won the fight in the military sense, it gave a boost to the possibility
of the American’s winning. With events leading up to the confrontation, the actual battle could have ended up differently. The battle also revealed the fighting tactics and abilities on both sides and would result in changes that would shape the way the war ended. The Battle of Bunker Hill was actually a win for the Americans.
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place during the Siege of Boston and is located on the Charleston Peninsula, across the Charleston River from Boston(The Battle of Bunker Hill).
The fortification for Bunker Hill first began with a report. The British were in control of Boston at the time and decided to occupy more territory; with the plan of taking possession of Dorchester Heights. The large fleet that surrounded the coast induced wariness and troubled the colonists. Not much later, on June 15, Whispers of the British also planning on crossing the Charles River in order to possess the peninsula were heard. This was seen as a threat to the colonists freedoms and territory, and saw the occupation as the tipping point. The British could not be allowed to take control of Dorchester Heights and peninsula. The people needed to take initiative in order to protect themselves(The Battle of Bunker Hill).
During the night of June 16, 1775, General Prescott set out towards Bunker Hill with 1,200 soldiers, to fortify the hill (The Battle of Bunker Hill). The American troops had planned to set up at Bunker Hill, but had actually put fortification at Breed’s hill. This ended up putting them closer to the British. With their newfound closeness, the British ships were within striking distance (Bunker Hill). Rebels worked all through the night on structures of defence, with the British, much to their surprise, seeing the hill covered in fortifications upon morning (The Battle of Bunker Hill). The defense had the only land approach to the city, cut of from the British forces. The British could still get supplies and escape by boat, for they still had control of the waters around Boston, but they would be kept from attacking the surrounding farmland, as long as the Americans had the Boston Neck blocked off. With the Americans accidental fortification of Breed's Hill, the British fleet in the harbor was within firing range of the rebels. If They had set up on Bunker Hill as they had originally planned, the artillery would not be able to hit the British. With the intention of a direct challenge or not, The British Generals took it as such, and declared that it could not simply be ignored (Dupuy 17 & 20).
With regarding location, the colonists had the upper hand, but 18th century military protocol dictated that the British are to attack anyway (Bunker Hill). During a meeting over what to do, a plan to starve the colonist out and end the fight without violence by cutting them off at Charleston Neck was proposed by Clinton (Dupuy 20). Instead, thinking that with a direct, frontal attack, the rebels would flee from the hill, they decided to storm the hill instead of trapping the colonist with the fleet (Bunker Hill). This overconfident judge in ability was one of the first mistakes the British made. They could have easily won the battle and crushed American morale, had just played it safe and starved them out. But with the decision to fight them head on, the British underestimated the colonists, making the battle much more significant to the Americans than it could have been, which only helped encourage the colonist in their fight for freedom. As soon as day broke, the battle had begun.
On June 17, 1775, the men on the boats fired their artillery at the hill, firing for twenty minutes at a time (The Battle of Bunker Hill.). British fire, which were randomly being shot toward American forces, were now all aimed at the hill. Hot shot (cannon balls heated before being shot) was fired at Charleston, causing the town to go up in smoke (Dupuy 21). The cannon fodder stopped mid afternoon, and orders from Gage were given to capture Breeds Hill, with rough waters and supply shortage only allowing the order to be given after noon. The British, fully expecting the colonist to flee as soon as they landed at the hill, set out (The Battle of Bunker Hill.). With orders from General Gage, 2,300 soldiers, set out under the command of Major general Howe and crossed the Charles River (The Battle of Bunker Hill & Bunker Hill). The British had planned to land on the far side of the peninsula, so they could attack the colonist backside and avoid gun fire (Dupuy 20). At slightly after 1 P.M. the British landed at the tip of the peninsula. Right after landing, Howe ordered Brigadier General Pigot to Charleston, and four companies over Moulton's hill in order to secure their position. It was right after Howe’s boat touched shore, that he realized things were different (Dupuy
20-21). On Breed's Hill, several of the men noticed how dangerous their position was, and caused a total of 500 to flee during the mourning; mainly the ones who have never fought or been properly trained. In order to get more men, Putnam rode to Cambridge to find General Ward, who reluctantly sent Colonels Stark and Reed, along with two New Hampshire Regiments. At noon, the men set out for Charleston. With the help of the reinforcements from Cambridge, and a few volunteer patriots who wanted to help, the American force slowly started to build up again (Dupuy 20-21). Prescott had ordered his men to build 300 more feet to his northeast from the redoubt, after he noticed how unprotected his left flank was, and sent Knowlton's Connecticut men to stand behind a fence. Prescott also deployed a company to protect his right flank. As Stark got closer the the hill, he noticed a gap between Knowlton's men and the Mystic river shore. He moved his men into the open passage and had his best men barricaded and defend it, while the rest were sent to help Knowlton. (Dupuy 20-22). The American force was split into three main groups. The scattered Charleston group, which lay behind the burned village. Behind artificial earth barrier built the night before is Prescott and his men. And running from the beach and along the rail fence is Knowlton and Stark. There was no form of communication set up between the groups, all orders from Prescott, only got as far as his voice could be heard (Dupuy 22). After seeing the suddenly stronger line of defence, Howe had to change his plans. The new one had the main assault be along the rail fence, with secondary fight on the north shoreline (Dupuy 23). Howe was active in this part of the fight, and would state that he expected his men to “ Behave like gentlemen, or go myself at your head.” (Higginbotham 72-73). at 3 P.M., once the british had decided on their plan, Gage ordered his men to take the hill (The Battle of Bunker Hill.).
The British made their way up the hill with most not even loading their guns, only having bayonets fixed (The Battle of Bunker Hill.).
During the first attempt at taking the hill, the British would stop to open fire twice from their lines. The american’s did not open fire back, instead they waited until they were no more than 30 yards away before firing. The first american gunfire was from Stark's position, where in only moments, every one of Howe’s officers were either killed or wounded. The british were forced to retreat after three successful attacks of musket fire (Dupuy 23). The rebels holding off their fire till the British were extremely close is because Prescott was presumed to have given his famous order of “Don’t shoot until you see the Whites of their eyes.” (The Battle of Bunker Hill.); with low supplies and better aiming chances most likely being the reason for the phrase (The Battle of Bunker Hill.). With the first attack failing, they rallied the men for a second charge. The second time had artillery, which was not used the first time due to incorrect supplies, now being used. The second charge did not go any better, with a result of 40 percent loss of the assaulting units ,resulting again in retreat. American fire was placed on the British again as a third attempt was carried out with heavy losses, with the British fighting through the hailstorm of bullets with bayonets fixed (Dupuy 23-25). People standing on rooftops from Boston watches as the British
fought through several barriers that stretched out before them (Higginbotham 73-74). The British had to attempt the hill three times before it worked. By the third attack, the rebels had run out of ammunition,resulting in them switching to fists when the British got over the Blockades (Bunker Hill). This fighting didn’t last long though, soon the colonist retreated (The Battle of Bunker Hill.). The British were unable to follow due to sniper fire covering the rebels escape, according to Clinton (Higginbotham 75). The fight itself was much longer than anyone really expected. With the extra defence, the British were unable to carry out original plans, resulting in a bad backup. This blunder gave American forces the ability to see British fighting strategy, and work on counter positions, along with a good judge of military power of each side.
The battle of Bunker Hill, lasting around three hours, was one of the deadliest and most important fights of the War. Prior to Bunker Hill, war had not officially been declared, but afterwards it became clear that there was to be one (The Battle of Bunker Hill.). The British force of 2,400 had lost 226, with 838 wounded. With battle strategy mistakes and American audacity contributing to the heavy loss. American loss of 1,200 that started, 140 dead with 370 wounded or captured, these being rough estimates. While a win for the British in the Military sense, it was of greater benefit to the Americans, who realized that regular soldiers stood a chance against high class British fighters (Dupuy 25-26). The battle made one thing clear, it was not going to be short. It gave Americans great encouragement, and led them to realise that the British were not unstoppable. This battle would be the example the colonists used to prove to themselves and others that they could fight on equal ground with the British. The British also learned that this was going to be a lot harder than first thought. Even the capture of the hill was short lived, as it was recaptured later. And only a few day after the fight, Dorchester Heights was recaptured be George Washington (The Battle of Bunker Hill.). The American might have lost the hill, but gained something greater in return. The boosted will to fight, and the evidence of a winning chance, which would serve them several times later in the war.