The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1919-07-03
WON STRUGGLE
FOR COL0NISTS
What the Battle Of Bunker
Hill Meant to the Revo-
Iutionary Cause.

IA years ago, rev nunureo
N American troops stacked
packs. seized their trenching tools and
set to work with great spirit. At mid
night Boston was buried in sleep. The
sentry's cry of "Alls well ~ could be
heard distinctly from It's shores.
At dawn. 143 years ago, the Ameri-
cans at work were seen by the sailors
on board the British ships Of war and
the alarm was given. The captain OF
the Lively, the nearest ship, without
waiting for orders, put spring upon
her cable and, bringing her guns to
bear, opened a fire upon the hill. One
man, among number who had in
cautiously ventured outside, was kill
ed. A subaltern reported his death to
Colonel Prescott and asked what was
to be done. BURY him." was the re-
ply.
II was the first fatality in the battle
of Bunker Hill, one Of the most mo-
mentous conflicts In our Revolutionary
history. II was the first regular bat
tie between the British and the Ameri-
cans and most eventful in its conse-
quences The British had ridiculed
them as dastardly and inefficient; yet
here the best British troops. led on by
experienced officers, were repeatedly
repulsed by an inferior force of that
enemy-mere yeomanry-from works
thrown up in a single night. and suf-
fered a loss rarely paralleled in battle
with the most veteran soldiers. Ac-
cording 10 their own returns their
killed and wounded, out OF a detscb-
ment of 1000 men, amounted to 1854
and large proportion of them Off
GERS. The loss of the Americans was
All, out of 1900 men engaged. So the
number Of casualties In this battle
I was more than 30 per cent of the num-
her In action, thus placing II among
/ the bloodiest battles known TO history.
At Waterloo the British loss was less
than "a per cent. No wonder that
June IL is to Boston a second Fourth
Of July.
Battle Meant Everything.
A gallant loyalist Of Massachusetts.
who fought so well for King George
that he rose to be full general in the
British army, regarded Bunker Hill as
transaction which controlled every
thing that followed. "You could not"
he would say to his friends ON the
other side, "have succeeded without
It,"
Bunker Hill exhibited the Ameri-
cans to all the world as people to
be courted by allies and counted with
by foes. 1t was a marvel that so many
armed citizens had been got together
SO quickly and still a greater marvel
that they had stayed together so long.
After the engagement at Lexington
on April 10 the British force under
General Gage was increased to 10000
men by the arrival of Generals Howe
Clinton and BurgOyne with their com
mands from England. These occupied
the town of Boston on peninsula ex
tending into the harbor. The naval
forces consisted of the Falcon, Lively
Somerset. Symmetry, Glasgow and
four floating batteries. Across the
Charles river at Cambridge, and OF
the surrounding hills. were encamped
between 10000 and 10000 undici'
plined Americans. The British, thus
cut of from communication with tht
mainland, were seriously hamperet
for provisions. and General Gage con
templated a movement to occupy the
several heights near Charlestown. al
: Dorchester and adjacent points.
J CoIonists Alarmed.
The arrival of such formidable
force Of the enemy caused the graves
concern =" cha enlnnists u was ru
mored that the British would sail,
forth from Boston and burn the neigh
boring towns. II was TO prevent this
that the Americans determined I,
fortify Bunker Hill; for If the British
should get out of the city and intrencl
upon Dorchester heights to the soutl
of Boston, the continental position
would be made untenable.
Not an unnecessary sound was mad'
during the long hours of the night Of
June 10, ITO, anu With udWn Cuih'
intrenchments six feet high along thu
side Of the hill were disclosed. In tn,
face Of the fire from the enemy ship
and by the battery on Copp's hill thu
Americans kept steadily at work com
plotting their intrenchments and, wher
there was slight show of falterinl
after a shot better directed than tn
! others had done some execution In thu
, trenches. Prescott himself MOUNTED
the works and marched to and FRI
with drawn sword. regardless Of tn
fact that he was IA mark for the Brit
ish. He thus preserved the courage o
his men who had never before beef
under fire.
Britieh Began Attack.
II was about three o'clock In the af
| ternOon when the British troops, sup
= ported by terrific bombardmen
> from the ships In the harbOr, ad
? vanced in solid column against tn
, Notifications. Confidently they ap
preached the works of the Americans