Battle of Bunker/Breed's Hill

The Battle of Bunker/Breed's Hill occured on June 17, 1775 and was right outside of Charlestown, Massachusetts. On the night of June 16-17, Colonial Colonel William Prescott led 1,200 men onto the peninsula in order to set up positions from which artillery fire could be directed into Boston.[13] At first, Putnam, Prescott, and their engineering officer, Captain Richard Gridley, disagreed as to where they should locate their defense. Some work was performed on Bunker Hill, but Breed's Hill was closer to Boston and viewed as being more defensible. Arguably against orders, they decided to build their primary redoubt there.[14] Prescott and his men, using Gridley's outline, began digging a fortification about 130 feet (40 m) square with ditches and earthen walls. They added ditch and dike extensions toward the Charles River on their right and began reinforcing a fence running to their left. The walls of the redoubt were about 6 feet (2 m) high, with a wooden platform inside on which men could stand and fire over the walls.[15]
In the early predawn, around 4 a.m., a sentry on board HMS Lively spotted the new fortification. Lively opened fire, only temporarily halting the Colonists' work. Aboard his flagship HMS Somerset, Admiral Samuel Graves awoke irritated by the gunfire which he had not ordered.[16] He stopped it, only to have General Gage countermand his decision when he was made aware of the situation. He ordered all 128 guns in the harbor, as well as batteries atop Copp's Hill in Boston, to fire on the Colonists' position, which had relatively little effect.[17]
When General Gage surveyed the works from Boston with his staff, Loyalist Abijah Willard recognized his brother-in-law Colonel Prescott. "Will he fight?' asked Gage. "[A]s to his men, I cannot answer for them;" replied Willard, "but Colonel Prescott will fight you to the gates of hell."[18] Prescott lived up to Willard's word, but his men were not so resolute. When the Colonists suffered their first casualty, Asa Pollard of Billerica,[19] a young private killed by cannon fire, Prescott gave orders to bury the man quickly and quietly, but a large group of men gave him a solemn funeral instead, with several deserting shortly thereafter.[18]
It took almost six hours for the British to organize an infantry force and to gather up and inspect the men on parade. General Howe was to lead the major assault, drive around the Colonist's left flank, and take them from the rear. Brigadier General Robert Pigot on the British left flank would lead the direct assault on the redoubt. Major John Pitcairn led the flank or reserve force. It took several trips in longboats to transport Howe's forces to the eastern corner of the peninsula, known as Moulton's Hill. On a warm day, with wool tunics and full field packs of about 60 pounds (27 kg), the British were finally ready by about 2 p.m.[20]

The second British attack on Bunker Hill.
The Colonists, seeing this activity, had also called for reinforcements. Among the reinforcements were Joseph Warren and Seth Pomeroy, who both chose to serve as infantry.[20] Prescott ordered the Connecticut men under Captain Knowlton to defend the left flank, where they used a crude stone wall as a breastwork, and topped it with fence rails and hay. Troops that arrived to reinforce this flank position included the 1st and 3rd New Hampshire regiments of 200 men, under Colonels John Stark and James Reed. Stark's men took positions along the breastwork to the north end of the Colonists' position. When low tide opened a gap along the Mystic River to the north, they quickly extended the fence with a short stone wall to the water's edge.[21] Colonel Stark placed a stake about 100 feet (30 m) in front of the fence and ordered that no one fire until the regulars passed it.[22] Just prior to the action, further reinforcements arrived, including portions of Massachusetts regiments of Colonels Brewer, Nixon, Woodbridge, Little, and Major Moore, and Callender's company of artillery.[23] Brigadier General Pigot, commanding the 5th, 38th, 43rd, 47th, and 52nd infantries, as well as Major Pitcairn's Marines, assaulted the redoubt. Prescott, in defense, instructed his men to wait until his signal to fire on the attackers. When they did so, it was with devastating effect, and the regulars were forced to retreat.[24]
General Howe led the light infantry companies and grenadiers in the assault on the American left flank. His light infantry were set along the narrow beach, on the far right flank of the Colonial position, with the grenadiers in the middle. They lined up four deep and several hundred across, led by officers in scarlet red jackets. As the regulars closed, John Simpson, a New Hampshire man, prematurely fired, drawing a useless volley of return fire from the regulars. When they regulars finally closed within range, both sides opened fire. The colonists inflicted heavy casualties on the regulars, especially targeting the red-clad officers, using the fence to steady and aim their muskets. The regulars retreated in disarray, and the militia held their ground.[25]

The British reserves, gathering just north of Charlestown village, were taking casualties from sniper fire, and set fire to the town. The smoke billowing from Charlestown lent an almost surreal backdrop to the fighting, as the winds were such that they were kept from the field of battle.[26] The regulars reformed on the field and made a second unsuccessful attack against the redoubt and the northern flank, that again resulted in significant British casualties.[22] Meanwhile, in the rear of the colonial forces, confusion reigned. General Putnam tried, with only limited success, to send additional troops from Bunker Hill to Breed's Hill to support the men in the redoubt.[27]

Finally, General Howe ordered a third attack, in which the reserves were also deployed, along with General Clinton and 400 volunteer marines that crossed from Boston after seeing the failed assaults.[28] This assault was concentrated on the redoubt, and was successful, although it cost the life of Major Pitcairn.[29] The defenders had run out of ammunition, reducing the battle to close combat. The British had the advantage here as their troops were equipped with bayonets on their muskets but most of the Colonists were not. Colonel Prescott, one of the last Colonists to leave the redoubt, parried bayonet thrusts with his (normally ceremonial) sabre.[30] It is in the taking of the redoubt that Joseph Warren was killed. The retreat of the Colonists was made possible in part by the valiant defense of the forces to the north of redoubt, which prevented the encirclement of those men. General Putnam attempted to reform the troops on Bunker Hill; however the flight of the Colonial forces was so rapid that artillery pieces and entrenching tools had to be abandoned. The Colonials suffered most of their casualties during the retreat on Bunker Hill. By 5 p.m., the Colonials had retreated over the Charlestown Neck to fortified positions in Cambridge, and the British were in control of the peninsula.[31] This battle was considered a draw. At this battle, the American army lost Major General Joseph Warren and the British army lost Major John Pitcairn of the british royal marines.

I found this work on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill