Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-05-05

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on board three ships of war living op-
posite Charlestown were astoDisbed
at the sight of a fortress of earth
filed with armed men within can
non shot of the city they were ap-
pointed to guard.
"A brisk cannonade was instantly
opened from these ships. The balls
fell thick and fast upon the redoubt.
But the patriots worked on, cheered
by the heroic Prescott, who boldly
walked backwards and forwards on
the parapet, defying danger, encour-
aging and directing his men, and en-
deavoring to extend his line down
to the bank of the Mystic river.
General Gage, while his soldiers
were getting ready to dislodge the
patriots, saw the brave Prescott
through his spy-glass, and, turning
to q lawyer at his side, who was
Prescott's brother-in-law, he asked.
"Will he fght?''
''To the last drop of his blood.m
was the emphatic reply.
ALI through that hot morning,
Prescott led his men on in WEAKNESS,
in hunger, and in thirst. He kept
sending to his sluggish and timid
commander, Gen. Ward, for food,
water, reinforcements-but none ar
rived, until about the time of the
foes landing at Charlestown. Ward
was afraid the British would attack
his camp at Cambridge, but when he
saw that they really meant to assail
Prescott, he sent Stark, with some
New Hampshire troops, to assist
him. Some volunteers, acting with
out orders, also joined his devoted
band, among whom were Prescott
and Warren. But at no time did
his force exceed 1900 men.
By half-past 2, the British, $500
strong, began their march up the
hill. They were in two columns
one marching toward theredoubt on
Breeds Hill, the other toward line
of defense composed in part of rails
with hay stuffed between them, and
in part of loose stones, hastily
thrown up into a low breastwork,
defended by Stark and his sturdy
New Hampshire yeomen.
1t was an awful moment for our
brave, half-armed men. Charles
town, purposely set on fire by British
shells, famed behind them. The ar
tillery from Copp's Hill, in Boston,
and from the men-of-war In the har-
Dor, Numbered and swept their weak
line of defense with iron hail. Two
columns of veteran soldiers, fully
armed, skillfully led, and confident
of easy victory, were advancing with
measured tread through the long
grass, and the bullets were already
beginning to whistle and shrek ON
inously about their ears. 1t was, in
deed, a crucial test of their yeoman
courage. But they stood it braYely,
reselutely-reserving their fire, as
previously ordered by Prescott, un-
til their assailants were within ten or
twelve rods of their slender works.
Then their self-possessed colonel
shouted ssFireln
They obeyed with the calm pre-
cision of marksmen. Instantly near
ly every man in the front rank of
the British line fell. The rest, as
tonished at this terrible slaughter,
seemed bewildered. Our brave boys
gave them no time to recover, but
continued their telling fire for some
ten minutes or more, when the enemy
recoiled, and ran down the hill in
great disorder.
The column which attacked Stark
and his bold men was met with the
same steadfast fire, and retreated in
similar confusion. The patriots were
iubilant; they saw flying before them
soldiers who had never before shown
their backs to foe.
But the end was not yet. After
fifteen minutes the English renewed
their attack. They advanced with
spirit; The Americans again reserv-
ed their fire until the foe was within
five or six rods of the redoubt, when
they delivered it with such fearful
precision, and with such terrible con-
tinuity that their assailants gave yay
in few minutes, and in spite of the
protests of their officers, retreated q
second time to the foot of the hill.
Stark's FIRE at the grass fence was
even more destructive, for companies !
which assailed him lost from ''three-
fourths to nine-tenths of their men,"
and Law in front of his slender works
''as thick as sheep in fold" Under
such fire it is no wonder that they al
so speedily fell back. a
eff we drive them back once more"
said the undaunted Prescott, 'sthey
cannot rally again" lIg a a
ks'We are ready for the red-eoats
again" was the bold response Of hiz
persistent men. ls
But alas for those heroic yeomenI
their ammunition was now nearly
gone. The British soon came on the
third time, with determined step and
fixed bayonetS They were aided
this time by cannon so placed as to
rake the inside of Prescott's breast
works, aud to compel his men to re-
tire inside of the walls of the re-
doubt. There they were attacked
on three sides; yet their deadly fire
made the relocated masses wayer
once more. But that FIRE could not
be repeated. They had fred their
last cartridge. Even then they were
10th to yield, and fought the foe with
the butt end of their muskets, until,
overcome by the sheer force of num-
bers, they sullenly retired. Their en-
emies were too weary too pursue
though their artillery, sweeping
Charlestown Neck, cut down many q
patriot who deserved a better fate.
Thus did the heroes of the Revo-
luton lose the Battle of Bunker Hill
not through lack of courage or
skill, but for want of powder and
ball. Hence their defeat had the NOR
al effect of victory. It led Wash
ington to repeat his previous opin-
ion, that "the liberty of America will
be preserved;" and it moved the
astute Franklin to say, "Amerleans
fight; England has lost her colonies