The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-06-19
Bunker Hill-CentenniaI June IL.

On Friday, June 10th. 1875, O detachment Of
ing. 200 as o fatigue party. with intTenCImg
tools, paraded on the Common. at Cambridge.
Massachusetts. Samuel Langdon, d. d.. Presi.
dent OF Harvard College. who, thirty years be-
fore had experience as military chaplain in the
Colonial army Tin the British service against
the BreDch). opened the work Of Bunker Hi
with I" fefvent and impressive prayer" None
save the officers Of the detachment knew the
precise servipe for which they were detailed
At nne O'clock that night 1900 OF the roOps
We're ordered to mOVe, ana In the darkness and
In silence they marched TO the Peninsula on
which now the historic Charlestown is situated
Colonel William Prescott, under whose com.
mand the detachment was placed. marched ct
Its head, and the "skirntshers," in advance
were two sergeants, carrying dark lanterns.
Ject OF the expedition. the f0rtification Of Bun.
ker aiil, was made known 70 them. After o
consultation OF the oflpers; d Breeds" Hill was
cation, under fair construction OF the orders
under which they acted. Major General Rich.
bf 9sSTs sPa tS sSgnee Who ha9
army, and who served at Lewisburg. ut Crown
Point. and Quebec, accompanied the detach.
nent He laid out the f0rtifioatiOn skillful.
ly, and the soldiers labored so diligently that
the British officers declared II must have been
the work OF several days. Attwelve, Midnight,
At early dawn, on the 18th, the sal iOrs on the
British feet saw themselves confronted with
esrth,woTks cart on Breeds Aill six teet In height
sel and the cannonnde awakened the people
and the s0ldiery in Boston TO gaze with wonder
9n the works which had spr0ng up In the night.
The fire from six vessels OF war. and from a bar.
tery on Copp's Hill, played on the works during
the day, AZ one O'Clock the British trOops Land.
OIL from barges at Charlestown. The delay for
rerni0rcements and i0r dinner while the half
famished and quite fatigued proYnolals In the
works awaited their m0vements. Tho British
troops engaged are estimated at three thousand
General Washington says that the number OF
proyinoials engaged at any one time was one
thousand i've hundred. The whole number OF
Americans who participated during che duy n.
cluding those who covered the retreat, was
from three 10 four thousand. Twice the Brit
ish forces moved up the hill and were repulsed
with dreadful slaughter; the Americans reser.
Ylng their fire until the enemy were in destruc-
tive range. Evidently General Gage had cOun.
ted on the show OF contempt tor the Americans,
as an accessory TO the humiliation OF their de
feat He neglected obvious measures OF prIl.
denoe. But, hndinR tho character of the adver.
made with due egaTd 70 military tactics; and
the Americans, having no ammunition for a far.
ther contest, gave up their works and retreat
Cd lhe duration q the engagement, as stated
Of the musketry 70 the last, wqs exactly one
hour and halt" The Official account OF Gen,
Ward gives the loss OF the Americans at: XIII.
The British accounts admit d loss IL; Killed,
.a6 wounded. 62s total, 1854. On so small a
space, and in full view. this was terrific slau.
Rhter and the number OF killed aud wounded
testified TO the resolute courage OF those ON
both hldes who were engaged In the bait Q Gen.
Care lost here his military reputation He
staked All in the spirit OF over confidence, and
lost all. The baltic OF bunker HUI proved not
only the beginning of the serious work OF the
Revolution. but the index OF tG close
The burning Of CharlestOwn was an episode
Of the battle. twas not unexpected nor. was
It, in a military point OF view, entirely mex
ousable. IL is claimed by the Brstish aulhOri,
ties that their men were hurt by muskets from
ChRrlestoYn, and that order was gwen, for that