Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-11-21
Frea Elliott. History of New England. >
81 binos BUNKER HILL. s5 eaR
sAruRDAr, l7rH OF JUsE. l77s.


81 biuos BUNKER HILL. 1873 saR
SATURDAY, I7rH OF JUEE, l775.
F.GEEERAL GLez lay with his troop,
m Boston town. and around the cit,
were the camps Of the Volunteers. who
had seized iifeit nuskets. and hurried
to the American quarters. They wer'
rude and undisciplined crowd, full o
strength. courage, and enthusiasm. and
the 6rst business Of the officers waste
institute rules, and secure obedience.
The general orders Of June IA. prosi-
ded-that the troops be quiet afle,
nine O'Clock at night; that aifg grog-
shops be suppressed and that their
LIQUORS be staved, il necessary; that
oficsts and men attend prayer morning
and serening. and sssSive on rne Lords
Day.
So eager were the men for action,
and so confident Of their strength, that
they urged an attack. As was known
that the English were preparing to
break the American lines, to secure
supplies from the country, some OF the
leaders were ready to take the initia-
tive. and, by an attack upon Boston,
keep them at home. Putnam pressed
this plan, and it was decid ed that
something should be attempted and
done.
On the night Of the 18th Of June,
ITS, twelve hundred men, Massachu-
sets and Connecticut troops, were col
lected on Cambridge Green. There
was no sound of drum, for they were
to march in secret; each man rested on
his musket, and with head uncovered,
listened to the clear voice Of Min
lister Langdon. whose prayer com
posed their spirits, and moved their
hearts. Few knew what they were to
do, but they were ready for a march Of
danger; and silently and swiftly they
followed their leader Colonel William
Prescott, stalwart Groton man. They
passed on uorthward, and halted to re-
connoiter at the narrow neck, between
Charles and Mystic Rivers, which joins
Charleston to the mainland; fastening
across, they reached Bunker Hill (llO
feet high, where the officers held a
consultation.
The purpose in hand was to throw
ND intrenchmeuis on this hill, so as to
command the City, snd thus check the
plans Of General Gage. who was bent
upon a sortie. The Boston promon-
tory is almost surrounded with water,
and on it Gage, with his 10000 picked
troops, were cooped up, cut of from all
country supplies by the army which lay
out around him. Colonel Lemuel Rob-
inson, with some 700 men, kept the
pass over Boston Neck; he had been in
his clothes for nine days and nights
General Thomas commanded at Rox
bury; Colonels Stark and Reed were at
Medford with the New Hampshire
men; while the main body of the Amer
leans lay at Cambridge, under the COM
mand Of General Ward, assisted by
Putnam. Nigh half the inhabitants OF
Boston (then numbering some II, 7,000)
had removed, and FIVE thousand of the
poorer sort we're sent away, ard dis
tributed among the inland towns
Gage, afraid Of those remaining. com
PEELED them TO give up their arms; the
Tories too. demonstrated against allow
ing any more people or goods to pass
out. believing their presence in the
town would serve as a check upon any
attack. rar
Both the Regulars and Provincials
had been busy for some weeks collect
ing cattle and provisions from all the
shores and islands; they had skirmish-
es enough to warm their blood, and
both parties felt defiant,
From Bunker Hill, Putnam, Pres
colt, Brooks, Gridley, and the other Of.
6cers, overlooked the Charlestown
shores, and Boston town lying asleeE
before them; they could hear the dull
challenge of the sentinels -" "AlPs'
we'll" Time was pressing. 80 they
hastily concluded to begin their works
en- Breeds Hill, which was on th'
peninsula nearer to Boston. At mid
night Gridley marked out the lines, anC
every man set TO work with pick an6
shovel. When daylight dawned oil
the water, it revealed 10 the astonisheC
eyes Of the British soldiers a strong re
doubt, croWning the hilltop. Tn
s'Liyely' sloop of war at once openet
her guns upon the fort, and reused tb'
sleeping people of Boston. Genera
Gage saw that the redoubt commando;
the city, and with its guns he could b.
bombarded. He Immediately called
council of war, and it WAS decided tha
the Americans must be dislodged. H.
asked OF Willard, who recognized
Prescott, will he 6ght?" "To tn
last drop of his blood" was the reply
.'Then be must be driven back" saic
Gage. The guns from the "Falcon,
the "Lively," the "Glasgow," tn,
Somerset" and the "Cerberus." ant
from Copp's Hill lin the north of Bos
toni. continued to play. and the Amer
leans continued to work at their in
trenchments-till toward noon the,
sent of their. tools, took some refresh
nent, and run up their flag. The.
were exhausted with a long night o
hard work, but were determined {
maintain their ground. At first Col
Prescott thought the attack would no
be made upon them; but the rattle Q
gun carriages, and the sound Of march