The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-08
FAMOUS SAYINGS,
Don't Fire TIL You See the Whites
of Their EsveS "


\ hilltop rudely fortified by earth
heaps and piles or hay Behind tneSc
barriers a throng of alarmed undis- |
ciplined Yankee farmers and shop
keepers. scarce $500 in number. ON
the plain below redcoat army. 5000
strong, of the best equipped, best
drilled troops in Europe. From the
harbor beyond a grim fleet of war
ships hurting shot and shell at the
hill. Above a scorching sun, whose
merciess heat slew men by the dozen.
This was the setting of one of Amer
lean history's greatest events; The
battle Of Bunker Hill, June II, 1875.
1t was the dawn of the American
revolution. Observation-Disclosures of
the colonies to rebel-was the seat of
British power in America. Fer a year
while the English had held Boston
paralxzed- and helpless patriots
had been secretly drilling on every
nearby village green. and had been
gathering arms and food at Concord
in preparation for the clash that soon
must come. On April 10 the British
had raided the Concord supplies. But
Paul Revere had learned of their plan
and had rdden ahead of them from
Boston to Concord, rouslng the whole
countryside.
As a result the redcoats we're fired
on from behind every fence and tree
along the route, and We're driven back
to Boston in disorder After that the
patriots had thrown off all secrecy.
Bands of armed farmers threatened
Boston, and the British regiments
there found themselves almost in Ii
state OF siege.
/ on the night of Juno 16 the pa
| triots, under Putnam and Prescott,
seized and fortified Breeds hill mot
| the adjacent Bunker Hill, though the
! battle is known by that namc) on the
| Charlestown shore, opposite Boston.
/ Next morning the British turned out
In force to dislodge them. From the
roofs of Boston (then a city of 1900
| inhabitants). and from the village of
| CharIestown, and from the neighbor-
ing hills, throng of people gazed on
the fray as at circus.
Strike Blow for Freedom.
Sir william Howe, dressed as If for
q ball, led the chief assault on the
hill. marching far in front of his men.
Up the slope moved the mighty Brit
ish column, singing the old grenadier
song. beginning From such rascals
as these should we fear rebuff" ON
they came. No sound. no sign of lite
greeted them from behind the hay
piles and earthworks. The farmers
were short of ammunition. They had
loaded their guns not only with the
usual powder and bali, but also with
from three to nine buckshot apiece.
Old Israel Putnam. haldheaded and
SHIRT sIeeVed STROBE up and down the
lines whispering the famous order;
Don't fire till you see the whites
of their eyes
And to that quantity worded COM
mand Americas liberty is largely due.
At n hundred yards from the breast
works the british opened fire. Not a
shot replied to them. ON they came
TO within Heventy-sixty---tift yards
of those silent Entertainments.
Then there was shout. The
hreastworks suddenly bristIed with
bronzed. determined faces From the
American line roared q volIey of mus
kerry. The bullets and buckshot
swept through the advancing Eslglish
colmns like u veritable hail of death
Whole ranks OF redcoats were moved
down. Before the last of destruction
the British regulars wavered. turned
and fed down the hill like scared
sheep.
In the plain below Howe and his
officers reformed their ranks and
again charged. The village of Charles
ton was set afire and the patriots
fought choked by the smoke OF their
own homes. Up to this attack march
ed the red column a second time. And
again Gen. Putnam gave his homely
order:
Don't fire till you see the whites
of their eyes,"
Hillside Piled With Dead.
Once more, AZ fifty yards, the Amer
leans poured polley after voiley into