“They were farmers, mostly, commanded by silk-stockinged doctors and lawyers. They were certainly moved by hatred, patriotism, and faith, their fear of being shamed competing with their fear of death or (what’s worse) maiming. They may also have shared with the British the foolish thought prevalent at the start of every war: win here and now and the other side will go home, but none of that can explain the remarkable discipline and fire control displayed at Breed’s Hill [the hill adjacent to Bunker] on June 17, 1775. The redcoats advanced, bearskin hats and bayonets bobbing, to within fifteen yards of the colonial line before the Minutemen fired. The British reeled back, then charged twice more until almost half their force of twenty-two-hundred was dead. Late in the afternoon they finally captured the hill, but only because the militiamen ran out of ammunition and slipped away, again in good discipline. Gage then turned his command, still besieged and twice bloodied, over to Howe, whose own later timidity may have stemmed from the carnage he witnessed on the banks of the Charles,” according to Freedom Just Around The Corner by Walter A. McDougall (2004).

Rag Linen’s Battle of Bunker Hill collection features two unique eyewitness accounts, one from each side of the conflict — American and British. The Patriot account is an extract of a letter written four days after the battle, from Watertown, about six miles west of Bunker Hill, where the Massachusetts Provincial Congress met from April to July 1775.  The Tory account is an extract of a letter written two days after the battle, from Falmouth, Massachusetts (now Maine), approximately 100 miles north of Bunker Hill.

Three more newspaper articles follow with reports (spelling kept as it was printed) of the victims and prisoners from the battle.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Thursday, June 29, 1775

  • Eyewitness account of the Battle of Bunker Hill
  • Extract of a letter written four days after the battle, from the American perspective, in Watertown, about six miles west of Bunker Hill, where the Massachusetts Provincial Congress met from April to July 1775
  • “5000 British troops were discharging incessant torrents of shot, for the space of six hours on about 1200 Americans, without any artillery except three three-pounders”
  • “The regulars were twice repulsed with excessive slaughter”
  • “Our troops are in high spirits, and eagerly wish for another trial”
  • “We have met with one capital loss; our worthy Doctor Warren was slain in the trenches”

Dateline: Philadelphia, June 29

Extract of a letter from Watertown [Massachusetts], dated June 21

I arrived at this spot on Saturday last in good health, though much exhausted with a rapid and lengthy journey in so warm a season. The thunder of cannon reached my ears some miles before I got here; the army of Britain had sailed out, and were then engaging our people, who had attempted a lodgment on Bunker’s Hill; the line of battle ships, one frigate, the batteries from Boston, a number of floating batteries, and the musquetry of 5000 British troops were discharging incessant torrents of shot, for the space of six hours on about 1200 Americans, without any artillery except three three-pounders. And what renders the matter more remarkable, the regulars were twice repulsed with excessive slaughter, and finally gained the lines with the loss of seventy officers killed and wounded, and 1000 men. Our men have entrenched on an eminence in Charlestown, about three quarters of a mile from the enemies encampment. We have lost sixty men, and upwards of an hundred wounded. Our troops are in high spirits, and eagerly wish for another trial. We have met with one capital loss; our worthy Doctor Warren was slain in the trenches, bravely struggling for the liberties of his country. We have lost a few brave officers. On the part of the British troops Major Pitcairn, and a number of capital officers are among the dead.

The London Chronicle
July 22-25, 1775

  • Eyewitness account of Battle of Bunker Hill, first report in London
  • Extract of a letter written two days after the battle, from the British perspective, from Falmouth, Massachusetts (now Maine), about 100 miles north of Bunker Hill
  • “Nothing can be conceived more terrible than the carnage that now ensued”
  • “The fortune of the day long seemed to be doubtful: Heaven at last decided in our favour”
  • “Of the Provincials 1400 were killed, and the number of wounded is considerable. Nine hundred of the Regulars were killed; the wounded and prisoners are said to be 1600. General Burgoyne, Lord Percy, and General Prescot are wounded, one of them dangerously”

Dateline: London, July 25

Extract of a letter from Falmouth, July 19

This morning a boat belonging to this place spoke to a New England vessel bound up the Channel in hopes of getting her letters. The Captain said he had not been permitted to bring any, but he gave the master of the boat a news-paper, dated June 24th, which contains the following account of an action between the King’s troops and the Provincials:

June 24

Yesterday morning about three o’clock, a party of Light Horse, 300 Grenadiers, 500 Light Infantry and Marines made good their landing near Winnesimet. They were opposed for a few minutes by a small party of Provincials, who were not able to maintain their ground under such a disparity of numbers. Before sun-rise Gen. Gage’s whole army was landed, except a small body that was left to guard the Neck. The facility with which the Regulars secured their landing seems to have encouraged them to march immediately towards Cambridge, with the view of falling on the wing of our army, and taking possession of that important place. The alarm was soon spread, and our whole army put in motion. Four thousand men only were left at Roxberry under the command of General Thomas. The regulars had advanced within two miles of Cambridge without any considerable opposition; but they were there met by General Putnam at the head of 5000 men, who gave them a very warm reception. On this occasion it is supposed 3 or 400 men were killed on each side, and the provincials retreated about a mile without the least disorder. The Regulars now seemed sure of victory, and pressed on very briskly; when, to their great surprise, they were attacked on both wings by a large body of our men, and Gen. Putnam, who was now reinforced by 6000 fresh troops and 17 field pieces, suddenly faced about and renewed the battle in dreadful earnest. Nothing can be conceived more terrible than the carnage that now ensued; the Regulars were still superior in their artillery, but our army was much superior in numbers, and no way inferior in discipline. The fortune of the day long seemed to be doubtful: Heaven at last decided in our favour. The Regulars began to retreat on all quarters, but in pretty good order. They left ten pieces of cannon on the field. General Howe, who had charge of the river, made as good a retreat as could have been expected by a small shattered army closely pursued by the conquerors, while there was light sufficient to distinguish friend from foe.

General Putnam was slightly wounded, and nearly escaped being made prisoner in the head of the action. Of the Provincials 1400 were killed, and the number of wounded is considerable. Nine hundred of the Regulars were killed; the wounded and prisoners are said to be 1600. General Burgoyne, Lord Percy, and General Prescot are wounded, one of them dangerously, with several other Officers of note. In a few days we shall be able to give the Public a more circumstantial account of this important victory, with a particular list of the killed and wounded on both sides.

Below are images of the London Chronicle quoted above. Click here to read Gen. Gage’s account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, as published in the London Gazette on the same day as the London Chronicle.

The New-England Chronicle
June 29 to July 6, 1775

Last Monday Night died of the Wounds he received in the Battle of the 17th alt. the amiable, the gallant Col. Thomas Gardner, of this Place. His Characters etc. were not prepared in Season for this Day’s Paper, but will be published in our next.

The following is thought to contain a true Account of the Loss of the Enemy, including those who died of their Wounds; taken June 29, 1775.

Return of the Killed at Charlestown the 17th June, taken from an orderly Serjeant in Boston.

Commission Officers — 92
Serjeants — 102
Corporals — 100
Rank and File — 753

——

Total of killed — 1047
Wounded — 445

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Total of killed and wounded —- 1492

Click the images below to see the original account from the New-England Chronicle. Click here to see the report of Gen. George Washington’s arrival in Cambridge, shortly after the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The Newport Mercury (Rhode Island)
July 31, 1775

Dateline: Cambridge, July 21

On the 4th Instant died at Boston, of the Wounds he received in the late Engagement at Charlestown, MOSES PARKER, Esq; Lieutenant Colonel of a Regiment in the American Army, in the 44th Year of his Age.

The Connecticut Journal
September 20, 1775

The following list of the persons now confined in Boston gaol, for no other crime than that of being the friends of their country, were brought out of Boston a few days since.

Prisoners taken at Bunker’s Hill, June 17, 1775.

Lieut. Col. Parker, of Chelmsford, dead. Capt. Benjamin Walker, of Chelmsford, dead. Lieut. Azariah Fosset, of Groton, dead. Lieut. William Scott, of Petersboroug, alive. Serj. Robert Phelps, of Lancaster, dead. Phineas Nevers, Windsor, dead. Oliver Stevens, Townsend, dead. Daniel McGrath, unknown, dead. John Perkins, New Rutland, alive. Jacob Frost, Towlsbary, alive. Amasa Fisk, Peppernell, dead. Daniel Sessions, Andover, alive. Jonathan Norton, Newbury Port, alive. Philip Johnson Peck, Boston Mansfield, alive. Benjamin Bigelow, Pecerfield, alive. Benjamin Wilson, Billerica, alive. Archibald McIntosh, Townsend, dead. David Kemp, Groton, dead. John Deland, Charlestown, alive. Lawrence Sullivan, Weathersfield, alive. Thomas Kettle, (a lad, dismissed) Charlestown, alive. William Robinson, unknown, dead. Benjamin Ross, Ashford, Connecticut, dead. John Dillon, Jersey, of England, dead. One unknown, dead. William Keneh, Peckersfield, dead. James Dodge, Edenburgh, Scotland, dead. William Tollinson, Connecticut, dead. John Lord, unknown, dead. James Milliken, Boston, dead. Stephen Foster, Groton, dead. Dead 20. Alive 10. Dismissed 1.

Rifle Men Prisoners.

Walter Cruse, taken, York County, Pensylvania, John Brown, ditto, ditto. Cornelius Tuinson, defected from the American camp, & confined for attempting to get back.

Prisoners, Inhabitants of Boston, Sept. 2.

Master Lovell, imprisoned 65 days, charged with being a spy, and giving intelligence to the rebels. Mr. Leach, 65 days, charged with being a spy, and suspected of taking plans. Mr. Peter Edes, son of Mr. Benjamin Edes, Printer and Mr. William Starr, 75 days each, for having fire-arms concealed in their houses. Mr. John Gill, Printer, 29 days, for printing treason, sedition and rebellion.