The Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the critical turning points in the Revolutionary War. Interestingly enough, the battle was not actually fought on Bunker Hill, but on Breed's Hill. The original orders to the American Colonel William Prescott, was to fortify Bunker Hill, but he decided to fortify Breed's Hill because it was closer to Boston. Because of the original orders, after the battle was over everyone continued to refer to it as the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The British force that was trying to occupy Boston was made up of 2,500 of the king's best soldiers. This force was led by General Thomas Gage who was the former governor of Montreal and had fought in The French and Indian war. Gage also commanded all the British forces in North America. On April 18-19, 1775 he sent an army to Concord to destroy military stores belonging to the Americans. The resulting battle of Lexington and Concord was one of the major starters of the Revolutionary war. The second in command was William Howe. He was widely believed to be a distant cousin of the king. He was a very talented and smart officer who did not want to fight the Americans but did when ordered to for fear of being branded a traitor. The final British officer in the battle was Henry Clinton. His military tactics where plausible, but he tried to get all of his superior officers to implement them in battle but only succeeded in irritating everybody.
The American army consisted of 1,000 troops. The leader of the militia was a man named William Prescott. Prescott was a farmer from Pepperel, Massachusetts and had fought in the French and Indian war. The American militia second in command was Israel Putnam, who was part of the Connecticut militia. The third American officer, a Colonel at half pay was Richard Gridley. While fighting in the French and Indian war Gridley moved two cannons up a steep hill and provided cover fire for the French. This was one of the main reasons they won the
The British force that was trying to occupy Boston was made up of 2,500 of the king's best soldiers. This force was led by General Thomas Gage who was the former governor of Montreal and had fought in The French and Indian war. Gage also commanded all the British forces in North America. On April 18-19, 1775 he sent an army to Concord to destroy military stores belonging to the Americans. The resulting battle of Lexington and Concord was one of the major starters of the Revolutionary war. The second in command was William Howe. He was widely believed to be a distant cousin of the king. He was a very talented and smart officer who did not want to fight the Americans but did when ordered to for fear of being branded a traitor. The final British officer in the battle was Henry Clinton. His military tactics where plausible, but he tried to get all of his superior officers to implement them in battle but only succeeded in irritating everybody.
The American army consisted of 1,000 troops. The leader of the militia was a man named William Prescott. Prescott was a farmer from Pepperel, Massachusetts and had fought in the French and Indian war. The American militia second in command was Israel Putnam, who was part of the Connecticut militia. The third American officer, a Colonel at half pay was Richard Gridley. While fighting in the French and Indian war Gridley moved two cannons up a steep hill and provided cover fire for the French. This was one of the main reasons they won the