The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-17
TODAY IN HISTORY
Bunker Hill Day.
FRIDAY, JUNE ~, 1910.

SunhGT TIN O"J'
This is Bunker I'm day. What glori-
Gus memories It recalls, when we revert
10 the little band OF patriots that went
struggling up the hill, unframed In war
fare, but loyal TO the core. IMimR aima pIl Gl
armed. undisciplincd Yankees, climbing
up back OF barriers OF earth heaps anu anu
plies of hay, realizing that on the plaln
below was rcdcoat army fully ooVV
strong. wcll-armcd, well-drllled and we'll
trained.
Leading them to the struggle was tho
gallant and dashing Israel Putnam. IN
his shIrtslcevcs he strobe up and down
the lines, giving words of encouragement
TO the right and left and whispering MS
famous order.
Don't fire until you see the whites of
their cyeS,'
And to this he added: Powder is
scarce, boys, and 1t must not be wasted
When you see the whites OF their eyes
fire low; take aim at their waistbands-
aim at the handsome coats-pick OIL tho
commanders.
All night OF tho 10th the Yankees were
employed In throwing up cmDankInentS'
They toiled on faithfully till break OF day
revealed their work to the gaze of the
astonshcd British. The English guns
were soon trained on tho works and the
sleeping city was awakened by the boom
of cannon. They worked on, however,
and by noon they were well intrenchcd
behind a strong redoubt. The British
meanwhile decided to storm the AIneri-
can works. General Howe was at their
head and It was about O'Clock III tho
afternoon when they began the ascent
OF the hill. Up they marched In line OF
battle. with undaunted courage Not a
shot was fired from the top Of the hill.
The Americans were coolly taking Put
nam's advice.
When the British had como within
few rods flame OF fire swept along the
American lines and the front rank OF
the enemy was cut to pieces. Another
volley followed and another. until the
British fell back in disorder, leaving the
hilltop strewn with dead and wounded
In fifteen minutes they made another
dash, only TO receive again such muir
dcrous fire as no army, however brave,
could have endured.
More than an hour elapsed before they
could rally for the third attack. They
had already lost nearly Il thousand men,
while the Americans had suffered little
The first volley of the Americans at this
third charge swept down their front
ranks as before. But as the assailnnts
neared the crest OF the hill they noted
the slackenins Of the American fire, and
Howe determined TO charge with the bay
oneL The Americans werc without bay
onets to their muskets and the tight was
now an unequal one, but with dubbed
muskets and stones they made a valiant
stand Scores OF them were cut down,
until General Prescott, the commander,
seeing the folly OF the struggle. ordered
retreat and the British were loft In pos
session OF the field.
The victory won at Bunker Hill was
costly one to the British. When the
patriots powder ran out. Howe had them
at his mercy. He might have slaugh-
tered them by the hundred. Instead to
his eternal credit. he ordered a halt and
let the brave Yankees get away in safety.
When he was later blamed for this lie
said simply;
''My orders were TO take the hill. I
took it.'
He is said to have added; "Thrce more
such victories will drive the British out
of America Bunker Hill taught Amerl-
cans lesson that spelled Liberty"