The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-06-08

While such was temporary aspect Of the field near
for rail fence where Putnam, assisted by Captain
Ford company, had posted the artillery with success
tsmeed to discharge their mSsses While the Advancing
enemy destroying fence which crossed their path
Putnam with OATH threatened to cut down with his
sword the offender. The word given when the
caemy within eight rods The artillery had already
made lane through the column and now the fowling
pieces moved down their victims especially the officers
with fearful CELEBRITY The asssilants compelled TO
retreat, leaving behind them heaps Of the fallen while
of the flying hurried to their boats. Their
tery had stopped IN the slough among the brick kins
ana Soala 90 hut Little The regulars did not sks
cans The trees around were afterwards observed WIN
their trunks unscathed while their branches Were rio
died through and through. The passionate shout OF VIC
tory again rang through the American lines and even
the coward was nerved to daring .,,. ..r,..,
Now It was that troops and our cause suffered
from the wantsof discipline ana from the confusion ap
parent in the whole management Of the action gins
ignorance fthe purposes of the enemy The Neck OF
land the engines Of death and Sioudsa Sy
totie bringing on OF endorsements Major Gridley
wholly unified in spirit and in skill had been put in COM
msad OF battalion of infantry in compliment 10 his
father He lost and could not recover, his selfposses
sion and courage Though ordered to the hill, he ad
vansed towards Charlesown slowly and fearfuily and
though urged Colonel Frye hasten he satisfied
with the poor service o6ring threepounders from Cob
fused obedience to such weakness ordered his to
follow him to the works Colonel Gerrish, with his
uery on Bunker's Hill. could neither be urged init
Undated by Putnam to bring his piece, TO the rail
lie was unwieldy with corruence, and overcome with
summit OF the hill by the sho. from the Glasgow which
took tremendous effect here, as it was thought to be
The enemy rallied for second attack. Though they
had sorey suffered and some few efthe officers were re
the general would have yielded TO death any form
horror before they would have left the field to those
four hundred came over from Bos
ton 10 repair the British loss and Dr. Jees accompanied
and with the dreadful apathy OF feeling induced by
battlefield they even piled up the bodies Of their slaxgh
as oreastwork for their own protection
The artillery drawn up by the road which di
vted the tongueof land the Mystic from the hil
to bring line with the redoHbt and to open
way for the infantry. was during this second attack
purpose intended by this act rs that the smoke
might cover the advance of the enemy and, second
dsodge some the provncials who from the shelter Of
the houses had annoy ed the British left wing General
Howe sent the order TO Burgeyne and Clinton to
the town. and the order fulfilled by thrown
from Cops HILL which, aided by some marines who
landed from the Somerset completed the work OF desoa
ton.
The Americans prepared for the enewed attack
They had orders to their fire till the enemy
within six rods and then take deadly aim AS bcic re-
the shot ofthe enemy mostly Intellectual ranging
above the heads of the provincias STILL OF the pri
Yates fell and Colonies Brewer Nixon, and Buckmnster
and Major Moore, wounded, the latter MORALLY
crying in his deahthrst water which could not
be obtained than the Neck whittier of his men
went to seek it. The British STOOD for time whose me.
mens hours, the deadly discharge which was pour
ed them as they passed the appointed line, while
Howe stood in the thckes Of the fight wrought up to
desperate determination. For time he almost alone
ing wounded or dad But though he would not lead
second retreat he compelled to follow it. and to hear
who had weighed the choice between and slavery
Thus the British were twice fairly and completely driven
Gals had the deserved acknowledgment in the
English histories. Even Burke a. as is probable, he
wrote the account in the Annual Register refers only
oacs TO the epuse and then merely the regulars
were thrown into some disorder"
But the fortunes of the day be reversed SO
lar to hora oI rio
TO the side OF the foreign assailants The provincia
couraged themselves with the hope that the repuses
which had compelled the regulars to retire with such
pendous loss would deter them from renewed attack
Some ofthe British officers did indeed demonstrate against
leading the men to another tutchery but their
STRANGE ddanfuliy repealed by their comrades
ring the second attack provincial with incauous loud
ness of speech, had declared that the ammunition
exhausted and he was overheard by of the
General Clinton, who from Cops Hill had
cation took boat and passed a volunteer bring.
ing with him added reinorcements. mode o
discovered that weak point the space the breast
work and the rail fence led left wing and re-
the reiout and the breastwOrk particularly
latter with the artillery from the left, while he disguised
this purpose by fegned show Of force at the rail fence
The Invested themselves of their heavy KNAPP
sacks, some Of them even OF their coats They
dered to stand the fire OF the provinca and then make
resolute charge at the point of the bayonet The
three facts last mentioned, viz, the knowledge oil
the enemy that the provncas lacked ammunition, the
encouragement Of the presence of General Clinton
discovery Of the weak point in the works, may have
q
While these hostile preparations in progress, the
little band oil devoted patriots exhausted to almost
night, ard by the bloody work of day. had time to
summon their remaining energies to resolve tn the
blow should be the heaviest to think upon the glory Of
their cause and the aure they should forever The
few remaining cartridges distributed by Prescott
The small number Of men whose muskets furnished
with bayonets stood ready to repel the charges and those
who were without this defence, as well without am
munion resolved club their muskets and WELD their
heavy stocks while the ferocy Of despair strung every
nerve Even the loose stones of the intrencaments
were gladly secured as the last stay of unAnchng
resolution.
body of reinforcements fresh and resoute and pro
vded with bayonets might have forced the regulars
third and fna retreat; but before remarked unavod
able confusion prevailed in the American camp. The
Neck OF land, the only line OF communication,
terrible aspect recruits, and General Ward was
without staff officers convey orders The regiments
which had been stationed along the road to wait further
commands, overlooked. Colene Gardner, though
thus left without orders painting join the strife led 800
men to BuDkers Hill, where Putnam first them upon
intrenchng but soon urged them to action at the lines
The Colonel commanded his to drop their tools
follow He leading them to the post of angerous
service, when he received mortal wound by musket
ball IN the groin. As he borne off the field he
nandsd his men to conquer or die Deprived OF their
officer, but few of them engaged in the action His son.
with grief sought aid him, but father commanded
him to march to his duty Colonel scammans remained
under their Danish adjuant, Ferbiger rushed
the fence A few of the Americans occupied two or
three houses and barns on the slope Of Breeds HILL and
annoyed, for a time, the left flank of the enemy.
The artillery of the British effected its murderous pur
itsdeenders into the redoub and sending the balls
after them through the open sally Lieut. Prescott
anephew of the Colonel, had his arm disabled and
told his uncle content himself with encouraging his
but having succeeded in loading his musket
passing the sail TO seek ret from which TO fire it,
when he killed by cannon ball II evident that
the entertainments could be maintained but
resolution to yield them only the CONFUSION OF the last
effort nerved every patriot
The British officers to goad of their
reluctant with their swords. II for them TO
receive the fire. and to their till they could
follow by thrust of the bayonet Each shot OF the
provincals true to its aim. Colonel Abercrombe,
Majors williams and spendlove, fell General Howe
wounded in the foot Hand TO hand and face TO face
exchanged the last awful hostes of that day. Onlya
ridge OF earth divided the graphing combatspts whose
fee, slipping upon the CORY sand while they joined