USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 36
USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 36
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 36
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1812. - Lee's Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department contain a train of reflections on Howe's campaigns, in which the influence of the battle of Bunker Hill is dwelt upon, and a sketch of it given. Lee states 32+
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that the Americans werc commanded by Colonel Prescott. He does not mention Putnam's namc.
1816. - Gencral James Wilkinson, in his memoirs, chapter XIX., gives what is called " A rapid sketch of the Battle of Breed's Hill." He went over the field, March 17, 1776, with Colonels Stark and Reed ; and October 27, 1815, addressed a letter, with a series of queries, to Major Caleb Stark, on this subject. He gives reminiscenees of his own, and details he received from others ; and presents a fresh history of the battle. He states there was no general command exercised on the field ; that Colonel Preseott, seconded by a Colonel Brewer, was ordered to take possession of Bunker Hill ; that Prescott commanded at the redoubt, and Stark at the rail fenee, between which " there was no preconeert or plan of cooperation." He stations Put- nam, with intrenching tools slung across his horse, out of the action, on Bunker Hill, with Colonel Gerrish, and affirms that all the reinforee- ments which arrived here, after Colonel Stark had passed, halted, and kept company with them. This work contains the earliest reflections on General Putnam's conduet on this occasion, either printed or in manuseript, that I have met. It is worthy of remark, that, in the review of this work, in the North American Review, October, 1817, no fault is found with the account of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
1818. - The Analcetic Magazine for February contains a history of the battle, chiefly in Thatcher's and Gordon's language, without acknowledg- ment, but with important variations. It states that the original detachment was under Colonel Prescott ; that General Warren, the "leader," was "everywhere aiding and encouraging his men ;" that General Pomeroy " eom- manded a brigade ; " and that General Putnam "directed the whole on the fall of General Warren." It is accompanied by an engraving of Henry De Berniere's plan of the battle, from a sketch found in the captured baggage of a British offieer in 1775. This is the first American engraving of a full plan of the battle.
The Analectic Magazine for March contains an additional article, with many interesting and correct details gathered from actors in it, and several documents in relation to it.
The Port Folio for March has another engraving of Berniere's plan, with corrections of the original in red color, by General Henry Dearborn, (who commanded a company, during the action, of Stark's regiment,) and an ac- count of the battle by him, written for this journal, at the request of the editor. In this account it is stated that General Putnam remained at or near the top of Bunker Hill during the whole action ; that Colonel Prescott com- manded in the redoubt ; that during the action no officer but Colonel Stark gave any orders ; that no reinforcement of men or of ammunition was sent to those engaged ; and that General Putnam rode off with a number of spades and piekaxes in his hand.
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Daniel Putnam, son of General Putnam, published " A Letter to Major- general Dearborn," dated May 4, 1818. It contains a defence of General Putnam, and interesting anecdotes of the battle.
The Boston Patriot of June 13, 1818, contained a brief letter from Gen- eral Dearborn, dated June 10, 1818, and fourteen documents relating to the battle ; the whole entitled " Major-general H. Dearborn's Vindication."
The Columbian Centinel, July 4, 1818, has the first of a series of elab- orate numbers, entitled "General Putnam defended. Review of General Dearborn's Defence of his Attack on General Putnam." It takes the ground that, though " It is certainly true that there could not, in the nature of the case, have been any authorized commander," yet that General Putnam was in fact the commander of the detachment. This review was written by Hon. John Lowell, and embodies many depositions.
The North American Review for July, 1818, has an article, entitled " Battle of Bunker Hill - General Putnam," in which General Putnam is defended, and an interesting view of the battle is given. It contends that General Putnam commanded at the rail fence and on Bunker Hill, while Prescott commanded in the redoubt ; and that, "In truth, if there was any commander-in-chief in the action, it was Prescott; " or that "if it were proper to give the battle a name, from any distinguished agent in it, it should be called Prescott's Battle." This article was written by Hon. Daniel Webster.1
In October, Colonel Samuel Swett published, as an appendix to a new edition of Humphrey's Life of Putnam, an " Historical and Topographical Sketch of Bunker Hill Battle." A second edition of this work was pub- lished, in pamphlet form, in 1826, with a plan and notes ; and a third edition, with additional notes, in 1827. Colonel Swett's indefatigable labors pre- served many interesting facts from oblivion. He states that Colonel Prescott " was ordered to proceed with the detachment at Charlestown," " General Putnam having the principal direction and superintendence of the expedition accompanying it."
The Boston Patriot, November 17, 1818, contains the first number of a series of articles reviewing Colonel Swett's history, - subsequently published in a pamphlet form, - and entitled " Enquiry into the Conduct of General Putnam," &c. Its main object is to establish the point, " that General Put- nam was not in any part of the battle of Bunker or Breed's Hill." It was written by David Lee Child, Esq.
Hon. William Tudor, judge-advocate in most of the trials of the officers after the battle, in a statement published in the Columbian Centinel, July 11, 1818, says : General Putnam appeared to have been on Breed's Hill without
1 An extract from this article will be found on pages 204-206.
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any command, for there was no authorized commander ; Colonel Prescott appeared to have been the chief.
John Adams, ex-president, in a letter published also in the Centinel, and dated June 19, 1818, states that the army had no commander-in-chief, - that he always understood that General Pomeroy was the first officer of Massa- chusetts on Bunker or Breed's Hill.
The newspapers of 1818 abound with letters, depositions, and articles in relation to the battle. I have files of the Boston Patriot, Columbian Cen- tinel, and Salem Gazette, and have consulted all they contain. Of the Ms. documents quoted, are the statements of Governor Brooks, Joseph Pearce, and General Winslow, taken down by Colonel Swett in 1818.
1823. - Thatcher's Military Journal contains a narrative of the battle, pur- porting to be written in July, 1775. Thatcher states that, though several general officers were present, Colonel Prescott retained the command during the action.
Tudor's Life of Otis contains a brief description of the battle, with inter- esting anecdotes of Warren and Prescott. It is stated that the Americans were commanded by Colonel Prescott.
1825. - Alden Bradford published, in pamphlet form, a concise narrative of the battle, with copious notes. He maintains that, in fact, "General Putnam was considered and acted as commander-in-chief."
An Address, delivered at the laying of the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill Monument. By Daniel Webster. This address was delivered at the request of the Bunker Hill Monument Association, and in the presence of Lafayette.
This year the ceremonies of the laying of the corner-stone of the monu- ment occasioned renewed attention to the details of the battle ; and numerous Ms. depositions, then taken from the actors in it, are extant. A long narra- tive of the battle appeared in the Columbian Centinel, December, 1824, and January, 1825.
1831. - A pamphlet was published by Charles Coffin, at Saco, entitled " History of the Battle of Breed's Hill." It contains the accounts of Heath, Lee, Wilkinson and Dearborn, a few depositions, and a few pages of remarks.
1836. - An Address, delivered at Charlestown, Mass., on the 17th of June, 1836, at the request of the young men, without distinction of party, in commemoration of the Battle of Bunker Hill. By Alexander H. Everett. This address contains a graphic description of the battle.
1838. - Judge William Prescott, son of Colonel Prescott, prepared a memoir of the battle, (see page 121,) which contains much detail not else- where to be found. Copious extracts from it, taken from the original, in the
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hand-writing of Judge Prescott, will be found in the preceding pages. Appended to the memoir is a letter, dated in 1838, and hence it is placed under this year.
1841. - "An Oration, delivered at Charlestown, Massachusetts, on the 17th of June, 1941, in commemoration of the battle of Bunker Hill. By George E. Ellis." This oration was delivered at the request of the officers and mem- bers of the Warren Phalanx. It contains a full narrative of the battle. It was prepared into a small volume, with illustrative documents, and published by C. P. Emmons, of Charlestown.
1843. - Address, delivered at Bunker Hill, June 17, 1843, on the comple- tion of the Monument. By Daniel Webster. This address is not of an historical character.
The Veil Removed : Reflections on the Lives of Putnam, and the His- tories of the Battle. By John Fellows. Printed in New York. He renews the charges against General Putnam, and reprints, often very incor- rectly, many revolutionary depositions.
No. 2. - NARRATIVE OF THE BATTLE, PREPARED BY ORDER OF THE MAS- SACHUSETTS COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.
The committee of safety, on the 6th of July, 1775, passed the following vote : --
July 6, 1775.
This Committee have, with great concern, considered the advantages our enemies will derive from General Gage's misrepresentations of the battle of Charlestown, unless counteracted by the truth of that day's transactions being fairly and honestly represented to our friends and others in Great Britain ; therefore,
Resolved, That it be humbly recommended to the honorable Congress, now sitting at Watertown, to appoint a committee to draw up and transmit to Great Britain, as soon as possible, a fair, honest, and impartial account of the late battle of Charlestown, on the 17th ultimo, so that our friends, and others in that part of the world, may not be, in any degree, imposed upon by General Gage's misrepresentations of that day's transactions ; and that there also be a standing committee for that purpose.
In compliance with this recommendation, the Provincial Congress, July 7, ordered the committee of safety to be a committee for this purpose, and also to be a standing committee for like purposes. This committee (11th) " being exceedingly crowded with business," requested " Rev. Dr. Cooper, Rev. Mr. Gardner, and the Rev. Mr. Peter Thatcher," to draw up a true state of this action, as soon as might be, and lay it before them. The following account was accordingly prepared : -
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In Committee of Safety, July 25, 1775.
In obedience to the order of the Congress, this committee have inquired into the premises, and, upon the best information obtained, find that the com- manders of the New England army had, about the 14th ult., received advice that General Gage had issued orders for a party of the troops under his com- mand to post themselves on Bunker's Hill, a promontory just at the entrance of the peninsula at Charlestown, which orders were soon to be executed. Upon which it was determined, with the advice of this committee, to send a party, who might erect some fortifications upon the said hill, and defeat this design of our encmies. Accordingly, on the 16th ult., orders were issucd, that a detachment of 1000 men should that evening march to Charlestown, and intrench upon that hill. Just before nine o'clock they left Cambridge, and procceded to Brecd's Hill, situated on the further part of the peninsula next to Boston, for, by some mistake, this hill was marked out for the intrenehment instead of the other. Many things being necessary to be done preparatory to the intrenchments being thrown up, (which could not be donc before, lest the enemy should discover and defeat the design,) it was nearly twelve o'clock before the works were entercd upon. They were then carried on with the utmost diligence and alacrity, so that by the dawn of the day they had thrown up a small redoubt about eight rods square. At this time a heavy fire began from the enemy's ships, a number of floating batterics, and from a fortifieation of the enemy's upon Copp's Hill in Boston, directly oppo- site to our little redoubt. An incessant shower of shot and bombs was rained by these upon our works, by which only one man fell. The provincials con- tinued to labor indefatigably till they had thrown up a small breastwork, extending from the east side of the redoubt to the bottom of the hill, but were prevented completing it by the intolerable fire of the enemy.
Between twelve and one o'clock a number of boats and barges, filled with the regular troops from Boston, were observed approaching towards Charles- town ; these troops landed at a place called Moreton's Point, situated a little to the eastward of our works. This brigade formed upon their landing, and stood thus formed till a second detachment arrived from Boston to join them ; having sent out large flank guards, they began a very slow march towards our lines. At this instant smoke and flames were seen to arise from the town of Charlestown, which had been set on fire by the cnemy, that the smoke might cover their attack upon our lines, and perhaps with a design to rout or destroy one or two regiments of provincials who had been posted in that town. If either of these was their design, they were disappointed, for the wind shifting on a sudden, carried the smoke another way, and the regi- ments were already removed. The provincials, within their intrenchments, impatiently waited the attack of the enemy, and reserved their fire till they came within ten or twelve rods, and then began a furious discharge of small- arms. This fire arrested the enemy, which they for some time returned, without advancing a step, and then retreated in disorder, and with great pre- cipitation, to the place of landing, and some of them sought refuge even
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within their boats. Here the officers were observed, by the spectators on the opposite shore, to run down to them, using the most passionate gestures, and pushing the men forward with their swords. At length they were rallied, and marched up, with apparent reluctance, towards the intrenchment ; the Americans again reserved their fire until the enemy came within five or six rods, and a second time put tbe regulars to flight, who ran in great confusion towards their boats. Similar and superior exertions were now necessarily made by the officers, which, notwithstanding the men discovered an almost insuperable reluctance to fighting in this cause, were again successful. They formed once more, and having brought some cannon to bear in such a manner as to rake the inside of the breastwork from one end of it to the other, the provincials retreated within their little fort. The ministerial army now made a decisive effort. The fire from the ships and batteries, as well as from the cannon in the front of their army, was redoubled. The officers, in the rear of their army, were observed to goad forward the men with renewed exertions, and they attacked tbe redoubt on three sides at once. The breast- work on the outside of the fort was abandoned ; the ammunition of the pro- vincials was expended, and few of their arms were fixed with bayonets. Can it then be wondered that the word was given by the commander of tho party to retreat ? But this he delayed till the redoubt was half filled with regulars, and the provincials had kept the enemy at bay some time, confronting them with the butt ends of their muskets. The retreat of this little handful of brave men would have been effectually cut off, had it not happened that tbe flanking party of the enemy, which was to have como upon the back of the redoubt, was checked by a party of the provincials, who fought with the utmost bravery, and kept them from advancing further than the beach ; the engagement of these two parties was kept up with the utmost vigor ; and it must be acknowledged that this party of the ministerial troops ovidenccd a conrage worthy a better cause. All their efforts, however, were insufficient to compel the provincials to retreat till their main body had left the hill. Per- ceiving this was donc, they then gave ground, but with more regularity than could be expected of troops who had no longer been under disciplino, and many of whom had never before secn an engagement.
In this retreat the Americans had to pass over the neck which joins the peninsula of Charlestown to the main land. This neck was commanded by the Glasgow man-of-war, and two floating batteries, placed in such a manner as that their shot raked every part of it. The incessant fire kept up across tbis neck bad, from the beginning of the engagement, prevented any con- siderable reinforcements from getting to the provincials on the hill, and it was feared it would cut off their retreat, but they retired over it with little or no loss.
With a ridiculous parade of triumph the ministerial troops again took possession of the hill which had served them as a retreat in flight from the battle of Concord. It was expected that they would prosecute the supposed advantage they bad gained by marching immediately to Cambridge, which was distant but two miles, and which was not then in a state of defence. This they failed to do. The wonder excited by such conduct soon ceased,
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when, by the best accounts from Boston, we are told that, of 3000 men who marched out upon this expedition, no less than 1500 (92 of which were commissioned officers) were killed or wounded ; and about 1200 of them either killed or mortally wounded. Such a slaughter was, perhaps, never before made upon British troops in the space of about an hour, during which the heat of the engagement lasted, by about 1500 men, which were the most that were any time engaged on the American side.
The loss of the New England army amounted, according to an exact return, to 145 killed and missing, and 304 wounded ; thirty of the first were wounded and taken prisoners by the enemy. Among the dead was Major- general Joseph Warren, a man whose memory will be endeared to his coun- trymen, and to the worthy in every part and age of the world, so long as virtue and valor shall be esteemed among mankind. The heroic Colonel Gardner, of Cambridge, has since died of his wounds ; and the brave Lieu- tenant-colonel Parker, of Chelmsford, who was wounded and taken prisoner, perished in Boston jail. These three, with Major Moore and Major M'Clary, who nobly struggled in the cause of their country, were the only officers of distinction which we lost. Some officers of great worth, though inferior in rank, were killed, whom we deeply lament. But the officers and soldiers in general, who were wounded, are in a fair way of recovery. The town of Charlestown, the buildings of which were, in general, large and elegant, and which contained cffeets belonging to the unhappy sufferers in Boston, to a very great amount, was entirely destroyed, and its chimneys and eellars now present a prospect to the Americans, exciting an indignation in their bosoms which nothing can appease but the sacrifice of those misereants who have introduced horror, desolation, and havoc, into these once happy abodes of liberty, peace, and plenty.
Though the officers and soldiers of the ministerial army meanly exult in having gained this ground, yet they cannot but attest to the bravery of our troops, and acknowledge that the battles of Fontenoy and Minden, according to the numbers engaged, and the time the engagement continued, were not to be compared with this ; and, indeed, the laurels of Minden were totally blasted in the battle of Charlestown. The ground purchased thus dearly by the British troops affords them no advantage against the American army, now strongly intrenched on a neighboring eminence. The Continental troops, nobly animated from the justice of their eause, sternly urge to decide the contest by the sword ; but we wish for no further effusion of blood, if the freedom and peace of America can be seeured without it : but if it must be otherwise, we are determined to struggle. We disdain life without liberty.
Oh, Britons ! be wise for yourselves, before it is too late, and secure a commercial intercourse with the American colonies before it is for ever lost ; disarm your ministerial assassins, put an end to this unrighteous aud unnat- ural war, and suffer not any rapacious despots to amuse you with the unprofitable ideas of your right to tax and offieer the eolonies, till the most profitable and advantageous trade you have is irrecoverably lost. Be wise for yourselves, and the Americans will contribute to and rejoice in your prosperity. J. PALMER, per order.
COMMITTEE OF SAFETY ACCOUNT. 385
In regard to what I know of the setting fire to Charlestown, on the 17th of June, is - I was on Copp's Hill, at the landing of the troops in Charles- town ; and about one hour after the troops were landed, orders came down to set fire to the town, and soon after a carcass was discharged from the hill, which set fire to one of the old houses, just above the ferry-ways ; from that the meeting-house and several other houses were set on fire by carcasses ; and the houses at the eastern end of the town were set on fire by men landed out of the boats.
WILLIAM COCKRAN. Middlesex ss., August 16, 1775.
Then William Cockran personally appeared before me, the subscriber, and made solemn oath to the truth of the within deposition.
JAMES OTIS, A Justice of the Peace through the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England.
This account was sent to London, with the following letter to Arthur Lee : -
In Committee of Safety, Watertown, July 25, 1775.
Sir, - The committee of safety of this colony, having been ordered by the honorable Provincial Congress to draw up and transmit to Great Britain a fair and impartial account of the late battle of Charlestown, beg leave to enclose the same to you, desiring you to insert the same in the public papers, so that the European world may be convinced of the causeless and unex- ampled cruelty with which the British ministry have treated the innocent American colonies.
We are, sir, with great respect, Your most humble servant, J. PALMER, per order. To ARTHUR LEE, Esq., at London.
There is among the manuscripts of the American Antiquarian Society, at Worcester, a copy of this account, with the interlineations and corrections preserved. It contains passages not in the printed copy. It is enclosed in a paper having the following statement, without a date : -
The following account was written by a person who was an eye-witness of the battle of Bunker's Hill. Some of the circumstances the intervention of the hill prevented him from seeing, for he stood on the north side of Mys- tic River. What facts he did not see himself were communicated to him from Colonel Prescott, (who commanded the provincials,) and by other persons, who were personally conversant in the scenes which this narrative describes. It was drawn up within one fortnight after the seventeenth of June, 1775, while events were recent in the minds of the actors ; and it is now faithfully copied from the draught then made in a great hurry. This must serve as an excuse for those inaccuracies and embarrassments of the style, which would have been altered, had not the author felt himself obliged to give a copy of
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the account precisely as it was then written. It was transmitted by the com- mittee of safety of Massachusetts to their friends in England, and may now, possibly, be in the hands of some person there. The author signs his name, which, though it may give no other celebrity to the account, will, he hopes, convince those who know him that the account is true ; for he flatters him- self that they, none of them, can helieve him to be guilty of the baseness and wickedness of a falsehood.
PETER THATCHER.
No. 3. - OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF GENERAL GAGE, PUBLISHED IN THE LONDON GAZETTE.
Whitehall, July 25, 1775.
This morning, arrived Capt. Chadds, of his majesty's ship Cerberus, with the following letter from the Honorable Lieutenant-general Gage to the Earl of Dartmouth, one of his majesty's principal secretaries of state.
Copy of a Letter from the Honorable Lieutenant-general Gage to the Earl of Dartmouth. Dated Boston, June 25, 1775.
My Lord, - I am to acquaint your lordship of an action that happened on the 17th instant between his majesty's troops and a large body of the rebel forces.
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