F36.1A

June 16, 1776 in Boston, Massachusetts

Big Fight, 1st Major Revolutionary Battle

One year ago, on June 16, 1775, Colonial William Prescott led 1,200 American Minutemen to Bunker Hill. The British redcoats had 2,400 men and they were ready for battle. This battle didn't last long before some one lost. Many lives were lost during this time. It was a devastating war for both sides: the Americans lost the war while the British lost many men. This was the start of the American Revolution. What was the end like?

The Battle of Bunker Hill had many different people involved in this important event. You had the American Patriots on the one end and then you had the British Loyalists also involved. They had around or over 2,400 redcoats. These two groups of people started a battle. On one side you had the British troops and on the over you had the American Continental Army. They each had a leader. The leader of the Americans was George Washington. The British General was William Howe, the redcoats leader. Then you had the minutemen who were apart of the American troops. These people have made a huge impact on our lives today and the Battle of Bunker Hill will never be forgotten.

A lot of action has been happeneing around Boston for a while now, and of course the Battle of Bunker Hill happened during this time. The Battle of Bunker Hill occurred at both Bunker and Breed's Hill. These hills are across the river from Boston. The hills over look the Boston Harbor which is important to the minutemen, this made their job of attacking the British nice. Howe and his men landed on the Charlestown Peninsula which is where the hills are located. Howe landed on the southern shore of this peninsula.

The Battle of Bunker Hill did not last long. It was a quick and hurtful battle. The actual date of the battle was on June 16, 1775, but the American Patriots set up on the night before. The battle lasted a well one day. The attack started around 2:30 pm. Then the British's first assault began around 3:00 pm that same day. Later that day around 4:30 the British made there third and last assault which ended the battle on June 17, 1775. The Battle of Bunker Hill started a lot of tension, this tension grew higher and higher. This made a lot of unforgettable events happen.

The Battle of Bunker Hill was the Revolution's first major battle. It all started with the Minutemen being led to Bunker Hill to fire at British ships in the Boston Harbor. These men also had to make a wall. The wall these men built stood 160 feet wide by 30 feet tall. Howe said "the rebels have done more work in one night than my army could have done in one month. Howe spotted these Minutemen and ordered the Redcoats to attack. The first two British assaults were not successful but the British came through on the third and last assault. The British won both Bunker and Breed's Hill but lost 1,054 men and 226 men were injured. Later Washington trained men to be in an army inwhich Washington started when he arrived at Boston.

Why did the events before, during, and after the battle happen? The Minutemen went to Bunker Hill because the Minutemen could then fire at British ships in the Boston Harbor. The Minutemen then moved to Breed's Hill because the Minutemen had attack more accurratly. Washington had a difficult time training his new army.This was because the men in his army were men from all different colonies. These men did not trust each other but that later changed.

The last thing we would like to inform you about is how the battle impacted different people, places, and things. The Battle of Bunker Hill made a huge impact. The British redcoats and the Americans have had previous fights before and that is one reason the Battle of Bunker Hill happened. Both sides of the battle had their reasons for fighting. The Americans put an end to the British and prove that the colonial soldiers could cope with fighting the tough and powerful British army. The British army was known to be the best in the world, at that time. The Americans worked nonstop to make America independent. So the minutemen worked on Bunker Hill until the British spotted them because that is when the battle broke out. This was the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Reported By: Samantha Hellman and Karly Mitch