Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-06-30
BUNKER HILL CENTENNIAL.
Graphic Description Of the First e. eat
Battle of the Revolution.
The VaIOr and Patriotism of Yankee
Militiamen One Hundred
Years Ago.

Years Ago.
AS appropriate reading for the
hundredth anniversary of the battle OF
Bunker Hill we take the following ex-
tracts from an article by Horace E.
Scudder in the July number of the
Atlantic Monthly:
The centre of the American army
was at Cambridge, the mSin body was
quartered on Cambridge Common, and
Gen. Wards headquarters were in the
old Holmes mansion. The plans of the
council were carried on in secrecy. Fri
day, the 10th, orders we're issued for a
parade at six O'Clock in the evening,
about thousand men from Prescott's,
Frye's and Bridges regiments, and a
fatigue party of two hundred troops,
being ordered to present themselves
with all the intrenching tools in the
Cambridge cannM with them also Cap
tain Gridley's company of artillery, con-
sisting of forty-nine men and two field
pieces. The detachment was under
command of Col. William Prescott,
whose name has received literary hon
ors in the person of his grandson, and
whose own name shines brightly out of
the smoke of this engagement. He was
one of the patriots, of good birth and
high connections, whose faith was steady
and courage unquestioned. His brother
in-law, the tory Councillor Willard, had
tried to dissuade him from the part he
was taking, holding before him the warn
ing of contiscation and death. ssI have
made up my mind on that subject" he
replied. 81 think it probable [ may be
found In arms, but will never be taken
in arms. The tories shall never have
the satisfaction of seeing me hanged. %
With Prescott was the chief engineer of
the American forces, Colonel Richard
Gridley, who had won his honors at the
siege of Louisburg. The expedition
carried provisions for one day, and
blankets.
Three hours seem to have been spent
IN necessary preparations. Then prayer
was offered by President Langdom, of
Harvard College, who had recently been
appointed chaplain of the army in Cam
bridge, standing, tradition says, on the
steps of the Holmes house, and at nine
O'Clock the party started, headed by
Colonel Prescott, accompanied by two
sergeants bearing dark lanterns open in
the rear. The plan of the expedition
had as yet been kept secret, but its gen
eral purpose could hardly have been I'm,
known to any in the party, after these
preparations, when they passed down
what is now called Kirkland street,
and marched for two miles, past In
mans woods, under Prospect Hill, into
the present Washington street, and So
leaving Cobble Hill, now crowned bv
the Mclean Asylum, on the right, en-
tered Charlestown Common, hating at
Charlestown Neck. It is very likely
that two months before some of this
little company had halted just short of
this point by General Heath's order,
and turned back from following the re-
treating forces Of the British.
A company was now detailed to pro-
eeed to the lower part of Charlestown
as a guard. Here, also, they were
joined by General Israel Putnam, a
notable reinforcement. It does not ap-
pear that Putnam brought with him any
men, but his own presence was host.
Brave, frank, and popular, he was
known by sight to a great many other
than the fatigue party of two hundred
Connecticut men. It was he who had
led the troops a month before over this
same road, when they had marched to
Charlestown and back, to rehearse for
holder expedition. He had been in the
council of war which discussed this
movement, and had been, with Prescott,
jealous advocate eff it. Impatient of
inaction, he was for drawing the British
wolf out of its den. Brave himself, he
believed In the bravery of the troops.
o The Americans he said, care not
afraid of their heads, though very much
afraid Of their legs; if you cover these,
they will fight forever
After this halt they moved forward
again, and took the road which began
at the neck and LED up Bunker Hill,
rising gradually fer about three hun
dred yards, when it reached height of
one hundred and twelve feet, sloping on
two sides toward the two rivers which
flow on either side of the peninsula.
The road descended at the farther end
of the hill, and then completely encir-
cled the base of Breeds Hill, a lesser
elevation, at that time sixty-two feet in
height. Another halt was made after
the main body had crossed Bunker Hill,
and now, under waning moon, in the
clear starlight, began an earnest con-
sultation as to the plan of intrench-
ment. The orders, now first dis
closed by Colonel Prescott, called
distinctly for the ratification
OF Bunker Hill, but with the
work Immediately before them, and in
full view of the situation, there at once
arose a conflict of judgment as to the
intrenching Bunker Hill before Breeds,
Hill, which was nearer Boston, should
be secured. It was decided to fortify
Breeds Hill, and afterward to strength
en- the position by fortifying Bunker
Hill.
The troops were marched Up the hill,
packs were thrown off and guns stacked:
and at midnight Colonel Gridley had
marked out the plans of fortifcation,
and the men were at work with spade
and pick. A party was also sent out to