The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-01-04

Dunher hlll-WlIIlu the space VI
- four days, TO be eXact-three men
of different faiths wrote letters CIV
ing their own differing versions of
the engagement and its probable re-
suits. Two of these men were actual
participants, one being a volunteer
with the Americans, the other being
an officer with the British. The third
was a spectator, and he was deeply
prejudiced partisan of the English
side, Tory" as the revolving Col
OniSts called his sort then and there
after Mark how closely the dates of
writing followed-June 20, June %,
Tune "a.
From these letters, which were gath
cred for this series from sources wide
ly separated, it is possible to get, at
conflicting angles, a vision not only of
the battle but of the opinions of those
arraigned on opposite sides. The
Continental, plainly a stalwart Yam
kee through and through, tells of the
splendid behavior of his compatriots.
The generous Englishman voices a
sentiment common enough among his
people at home-a belief that right is
on the side of the home-spun soldiers
against whom he just has fought, and
q determination to sacrifice his mill
tary career, which must have been
dear to him, rather than again draw
his sword to support cause which he
regards as oppressive. The trans
planted Royalist looks on these pre-
sumptuOuS fellow subjects of his who
have dared to defy the crown as ar
rant rebels. Well the history of man.
kind shows that insurgents always
have been rebels-unless they succeed.
1t is only after they have won that the
world is willing to acknowledge them
as revOlutiOniSts. This gentleman
calls the uprising delusiOn; he re-
CARDS it, this well-fed Boston mer-
chant, as being unprOvoked. Except
in his private convictions there is
nothing of the radical about him. To
day some would dub him a conServ-
alive, others, in derision, would brand
him a stand-patter. History shows
that every great political spasm pro-
duces many like him. ,t. ..
Now, these three eye-witnesses-th
two fighters and the spectator-dis-
agree as to the numbers engaged and
also as to the extent of the casual
ties. But on one point they do agree,
the native Yankee boasting of it, the
Britisher admitting it with admira-
ton, the foreign-born Tory conceding
1t begrudgingly and with evident re-
tuctance.
~And that point is that the spirit Of
revolt so deeply is rooted in the souls
of the little American force then in
arms, that the men composing 1.-THE
New England farmhands, the arts
ans, the workingmen, the small gen.
try, as unter-distinguiShed from the
wealthy and established classes who,
as group, have sided with King
GeOrge-will surely fight once more
and fight on and on. ...
The three prophets were right, each
in his own way. The Americans did
fight once more and many times more,
and they won. And because they won
we speak of the founders of this ma
ton as Loyalists and not as Rebels.
History has a way of repeating it
self. In 1915 the Americans dared OPP
pose the tyrannies of stupid Ger
man king-for there was nothing Brit
ish about George the Third, except his
title to his throne. In 1917 more than
two million Americans went overseas
TO oppose the false and brutal theories
of another German king. In each in
stance the king ultimately was beaten
and the peoples of the nations cherish
ing the principles of representative
government triumphed.
G" The First Letter.
The author of the first letter here
reproduced was resident of Provi-
dence, r. l. Addressing a friend in
New York on the second day, but one,
following the fight. and dispatching
his communication by courier on that
day, he wrote. this go. -.
"You doubtless have :been. alarmed
Rith divers accounts of the contest
which happened. on the i7ti :instart
between the kings; troops and orr:
army, so shall give you narrative
in a few words. ---'
ION the evening of the 10th, Colonel
Putnam took possession of Bunker
Hill, with about two thousand men.
and began an intrenchment, which
they had made some progress in. AT
eight in the morning a party of reg
uIars landed at Charlestown and fired
the town in divers places. Under
cover of the smoke, body of about
five thousand men marched up to our
irtrenchments and made furious
and Sudden attack. They were driv-
en- back three times and when they
were making a third attack. one of
.