The Battles of Lexington and Concord served as a wake-up call for the colonists. What followed was a string of battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place during the Siege of Boston in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. It was on June 13, 1775 that the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston came to know about the British plan to send troops out from the city. The plan was to fortify the unoccupied hills surrounding the city, which would help them control Boston Harbour.
As a way of talking back, the colonists sent 1200 of their men under the command of William Prescott. They occupied Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill. A fort was hastily built on top of the hill behind which these men took cover.
British ships opened fire on the fort on the eventful morning of 17th June. Though their shells fell short in the beginning, more British troops landed in the afternoon. The colonists could not resist beyond a point and the British eventually succeeded in their efforts. Both the hills were captured by the British. Out of the twenty battles of the revolution, the Battle of Bunker Hill exacted a heavy toll on British officers; they had 1054 casualties.
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