The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-06-13

8&AS8 with it. But, as you will discover, it
does not agree in all details with the story as
you learned it from your schOol-book histories.
In 1850 or Whereabouts Frenchman migrated
from Canada 10 the Massachusetts, Bay colony
and settled on a hill overlooking Boston harbor.
His name was Monsieur Bon Coeur-not a diff
cult name 10 pronounce unless you happened 10
be Yankee who spoke with nasal twang.
But most of his neighbors were Yankees and they
spoke thus
The French-Canadian tried hard TO teach them
the throaty sound of Bong Koor" But they
couldn't seem TO get il. Or else they wouldn't
because they wanted TO plague that Canuck."
At any rate, their name for him was Mister
Bunker" Some of his fellow-emigres were hav-
ing the same difficulty. This barbarous Yankee
speech had changed Monsieur Pibaudiere to
Mister Peabody" and Monsieur de rHotel to
Mister Doonttle" Sacre hleul Also, name Of
a name!
In vain N. Bon Coeur protested II they must
Anglicize his fine old French name who not use
the translation Of ii and call him Mister Good
heart? But, no! They wouldn't So Bunker
he became, Bunker he remained and the hill on
which he lived and reared his family became
Bunkers Hill Thus came about the first para
dox in the history Of a famous battle
Two decades after Monsieur Bon Occur late
Of Canada, had resigned himself at last to be-
ing Mister Bunker Of Boston, that city was In
q state of siege That fact, in ITSELF was some
thing Of paradox. For the besiegers, although
they numbered between 1900 and 10000, were
little more than unorganized mass Of armed
civilians. Military experts Of the time would
probably have given this Continental army (it
was not yet the American army but little chance
in pitched battle with the besieged, composed
of six or seven thousand welltrained and we'll
equipped British regulars commanded by Gen.
Thomas Gage. Incidentally, Cages force was
known at the time as the Ministerial army be-
cause the feeling was general that this was
merely civil war, like that between the parlia-
mentary and royalist forces in CromwelPs time,
and was not a revolution for separation from
the Mother Country.
During the second week in June IT'S. Colonel
Gridley of the Continental forces planned series
OF earthworks which would strengthen the po-
sition Of the besiegers around Boston But be-
fore he could proceed with his plans his COM
mander-in-chief, Gen. Artemas Ward, ordered
him to proceed TO Bunker Hin (by this time
Monsieur Bon Occur pretty much forgotten
and his land was called Bunker Hill instead of
Bunker's HID and there take charge of the con-
struction of redoubts on this eminence OF 10
feet overlooking Boston from across the Charles
river.
In the meantime Gage had noticed the men,
acing heights at Dorchester and Charlestown
and determined to seize them. Upon learning
of this, force of Colonials under Col William
Prescott forestalled the British commander and
on June 16 took up their position on Breeds
Hill, g feet high and nearer TO Charlestown
than Bunker Hill 1t was foolhardy thing to
do. for Breeds Hill was dangerously advanced
position within easy gun range of Boston. In
fact. the occupation of these heights back OF
Charestown was a rash maneuver which might
easily have proved disastrous. For If Gage had
taken advantage of his opportunity TO move
heavy guns on the British warships at his dis
posal and sailed them at food tide around into
the Mystic river. he could have swept the mar
row neck of land which led to Cambridge with
cannon fire TO cut of the retreat of the Coloni-
ais and. by landing his troops behind Bunker
Hill have caught the whole Patriot force in a
trap and destroyed il.
Fortunately for the cause Of liberty he was a
general who had risen to his position BY DO
ntica wirepulling rather than by proved merit
on the field of battle. So he passed up his op-
porrunity for easy victory and followed a
course which was TO prove disastrous both 10
his soldiers and TO the prestige of the British
arms. He decided upon immediate frontal
attack which General William Howe was select
ed 10 lead.
This decision was made on the morning of
June Il when the British discovered the CONT
ner as Notifications Breeds Hill well ad-
varced toward completion redoubt and
, eastwork had been erected in front OF the hill
md from one side of it, extending TO the Mystic
river, ran rail fence which they had stuffed
with hay 70 form fiimSy sort of breastwork in
front OF Bunker Hill Immediately the British
frigate Lively in the Charles river opened fire
on these Notifications but failed to stop work
on them
The whole forenoon was taken up in ferrying