The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-06-08
SPIRITOFBUNKERHILL
What Commemoration Of the
Historic Battle Means.
OF GREAT NATIONAL INTEREST

Wide Scope of the Conflicts Influence
on Great Nation-Graphic Picture
of the Battlefield as It Was In f775.
Historical Landmark That Has Been
Preserved to Posterity by Women.
Sooner or later every stranger who
visits Boston invariably announces, Il
must see Bunker HILL" June IL is. the
ideal day to crafty that wish. To cor
Eectly entertain any guests a supply of
luscious chicken and ham sandwiches
should be taken, with plenty of pic
kles and few pieces Of pie, for
CharIestown-accen ON the town."
and pronounce 1t clearly, please is
within the ''pie belt" We climb the
stately pile on Bunker Hill, attend the
exercises held by some historical asso-
citation, listen to the strains. of that old
ode sung at the dedication Of the mon
ument In 1S43, when Daniel Webster
delivered his famous Grafton; behold
the parade sweep In majesty about the
foot of the historic pile and watch the
sun flash in golden CLEANS on the re-
nowned ''Sword of Bunker HILL" Like
many another historical landmark that
otherwise would have been obliterated,
Bunker Hill has been preserved to pos
terity by the devotion of women.
Where today are well kept turf,
stately monument and joyous sight
seers, in 1775 bare summit SCARED
by cannon shot, raw, half sodded
fieldworks and low redoubt overlook
ed the burning churches and houses OF
Cbarlestown. Beyond from the Charles
river the British men-of-war Joined
the land batteries on the farther bank
I'm the unceasing thunder Of artillery,
hurting death upon the men of Massa-
chusetts Bay, Vermont and Connecti-
cut.
Due north to the very verge of the
Mystic ran a weak breastwork across
pasture lands and meadows, with here
and there an orchard a-bloom with the
delicate pink and white of apple, pear,
cherry and ounce, fields of yellow
hearted, white petaled daisies swaying
in the vortex of cannon shot and the
mad rush of furious charges.
Anon the orchards were full of red
coated, white gathered infantry, the
snow white daisies were married by
great splashes Of life blood and the
pastures strewn with patches of scar
let where soldiers In their gay uniforms
had fallen to, rise no more To the
left half score of brass howitzers,
posted amid brick kilns and clay pits,
sought to enfilade and sweep away
the Baymen who kept the hill.
Farmers, sailors, fishermen, trades
men, clad in everyday garb, armed
with their homely weapons Of the
chase, with scarcely flag to fight I'M
der, suffering hunger, thirst and weari-
ness under the broiling sun, coolly train
ed across the Bunker Fill breastwork
the long, rusty tubes which had al
ready heaped windrows Of dead and
dying men upon the fields below where
the new mown hay still lay drying.
The British lines continued to charge.
Don't fire until you see the whites of
their eyesT' The word passed along
the line of set faces and leveled guns
"a AAOAACuL 4dtSI uOdlcC CIlS5, II lIC,
fire" rang out A crash of triple vol
leys and the rattle of deadly file firing
followed. The powder failed. The pro-
vincials broke away, pursued by Pit
cairns marines. For the moment our
fathers hope Of victory was over.
Yes, visit Bunker Hill. Look upon
a monument erected to cherish the
memory Of defeat that brought sue
cess, for victory crowned the vanquish-
ed that day. The day set apart to
commemorate the battle of Bunker
Hin is exclusively a Charlestown holt
day, but far wider than Boston's ''tri-
mountains spreads the spirit of Bun
ker Hill throughout a great nation
christened on that day in the red
blood of American freemen. = Joe
Mitchell Chapple in National Maya
zine For June. ..,44ssses -....ss,s,