The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-09-02

he assured me LfIey GceTe TIT'SC-TUCe
Boston and its environments are spread out
IN the glad sunshine. Every day Boston
spreads out her environments just that way.
Bunker Hill monument is POI feet in
height, and has been entirely paid for The
spectator may look at the monument with
perfect impthity without being solicited tc
buy some Of its first mortgage bonds This
adds much to the genuine thrill of pleasure
while gazing at it.
There Is Bunker Hill in Macoupfn county,
Ills, also In Ingham county, Mich, and in
Russell county, Kan, but Gen. Warren was
not killed at either of these points.
One hundred and ten years ago, on the
18th day Of the present month, one of Amer
ica's most noted battles with the British was
fought near where Bunker Hill monument
now stands. In that battle the British lost
1850 In killed and wounded, while the
American loss numbered but $50. While
the people Of this country are showing such
en interest In our war history I am surprised
that something has not been said about
Bunker Hill The Federal forces from Rox-
bury TO Cambridge were under command of
Gen. Artemas Ward, the great American
hu1aorist When the American h"morist
really puts on his war paint and sounds
the tocsin he can organize a great deal Of
mourning.
Gen. Ward was assisted by Putnam,
Starke, Prescott, Gridley and Pomeroy
Co1 William Prescott was sent over from
Cambridge to CharlestOwn for the purpose
of fortifying Bunker Hill. AT council of
war it was decided to fortify Breeds Eli,
not so highbrt nearer to Boston than Bun -er
Hill so q redoubt was thrown up during
the night on the ground where the monu-
ment now stands.
The British landed a large force under
Gems. Howe and Pigot, and at p. N. the
Americans were re enforced by Gems. War
rem and Pomeroy. Gen. Warren was of a
literary turn of mind and during the battle
took bis hat of and recited little poem be-
ginning:
Stand, bhe grounds your own, my bravesl
VIII ye give it up to slaves?
A man who could deliver an impromptu
and extemporaneous address like that in
public, and while there was such bitter
feeling Of hostility on the part of the au-
dience, must have been good scholar In
our great fatricidaI strife twenty years ago
the inferiorfty of our generals in this re-
gpect was painfully noticeable We did not
have commander who could address his
troops In rhyme to save his neck. Several
Of them were pretty good in blank verse;
but It was so blank that it was not just TIE
thing to fork over to posterity and speak in
school afterward
Col. Prescotts statue now stands where he
is supposed to have stood when he told his
whites of the enemy's eyes. Those who have
examined the cast-iron fint-lock weapon
used ID those days will admit that this order
was wise. Those guns were injurious to
health, of course, when used to excess, but
not necessarily or Immediately fatal.
At the time of the third attack by the
British the Americans were out of ammuni-
ton, but they met the enemy with dubbed
muskets, and it was found that one end of
the rebel hint-lock was about as fatal as the
other, if not more SO.
Boston still meets the invader with it's
club. The mayor says to the citizens Of
Boston: 'FWait till you can see the whites
Of the visitors eyes, and then go for him
with your clubs" Then the visitor surren-
dBzp
hope that many years may pass before it
VIII again be necessary for us to soak this
fhir land In British blood. The boundaries
OF our land are now more extended, and SO IT
would take more blood to soak it.
q Boston has just reason to be proud of
Bunker Hill, and it was certainly a great
stroke of enterprise to have the battle 10
Gated there. Bunker Hill is dear to every
American heart, and there are none Of US
who would not have cheerfully gone into
the battle then if we had known about it in
time.