THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL
Participant: Chelsea Kathrina Paclibar
Address: 11071 Willis Drive, Loma Linda Ca 92354
Phone: (909)353-8427
Email: [email protected]
School: Redlands High School
Grade Level: 11th grade
Address: 840 E. Citrus Avenue, Redlands CA 92374
Phone: (909) 307-5500
Fax: (909) 307-5500
The Battle of Bunker Hill
The American Revolutionary war occurred between 1765 and 1783, changing the American
lives forever; the American citizens realized that it was time for them to overthrow the authority
of the Great Britain and its monarchy and aristocracy, resulting in the founding of The United
States of America. The American Colonists decided to prove a point to the British that they were
strong and determined to gain their independence and come out as victorious against them. On
June 17, 1775 during the Battle of the Bunker Hill, the Americans thought to themselves that this
was the time for which they can accomplish their goal and finally break-free from the British
rule. This was a significant battle for the reason that although Britain ended up winning, the
Americans gained confidence and made them recognize that they have the ability to win against
them somehow, someway. Additionally, it convinced the British that the war was not easily won
as they thought it would have been.
In the beginning of April 1775 to July 1775, the American colonists were uncertain as to
whether or not seeking for their own independence would be worth it. There was a split between
opinions as some only thought about the negative outcomes and reasoned that the British were
too powerful to defeat, while others were occupied coming up with plans and raising a good
military in order to be victorious. Written on the American Pageant it states, “The clash of arms
continued on a strangely contradictory basis. On the one hand, the Americans were emphatically
affirming their loyalty to the king and earnestly voicing their desire to patch up difficulties. On
the other hand, they were raising armies and shooting down His Majesty’s soldiers. This curious
war of inconsistency was fought for fourteen long months- from April 1775 to July 1775- before
the fateful plunge into independence was taken” ( Kennedy 133). The colonists captures the
Bunker Hill but the British took it back. However, the British lost a huge number of armies and
the Battle of Bunker Hill resulted in heavy causalities for them.
British forces under the command of General William Howe and General Robert Pigot landed
on the a peninsula in Charlestown and marched to the Breed’s hill. From the Lexington, Concord
and Bunker Hill it mentions, “Then the barges returned to Boston for a second load, this time
bringing back the Royal Regimen of Artillery and General Howe. The landing, well protected by
guns of the Royal Navy, was made without opposition. A total of 1,550 British troops arrived in
the first two waves. From the shore, Howe observed Stark’s and Reed’s regiments on the crest of
the Bunker Hill, and as he watched he noticed several detachments hurry downhill and move into
positions along the flat land just above the Mystic River. Howe saw that once the newcomers
would block any chance he might had to move his troops along the Mystic and seal it off the
provincials from the rear” (Russell 95). The American soldiers were hiding and were instructed
by General Prescott to hold their fires until they can see the enemies’ eyes. Fires and Gun shots
fired every direction as the British Redcoats started to attack. This was the start of the
Revolutionary war which was considered to be the bloodiest battle in history.
Although it was called as the Battle of Bunker Hill, it was not actually fought on Bunker Hill
but rather on Breed’s Hill. Based on the book Decisive Day: The Battle of the Bunker Hill, the
author illustrates, “On Breed’s Hill the gristly task of bringing off the death and the wounded had
begun. In comparison to the British losses, those of the Americans were slight, but a number of
officers and men were down” (Ketchum 167). There were many personal stories regarding the
events which the soldiers experienced. It was also clear that Britain did not really celebrate their
victory because they knew now that Americans could potentially win the next time, as well as
the fact that they lost so many soldiers and officers. During the war, the patriots sought to delay a
British attack but it instead provoked one. From the website article, “The American
Revolutionary,” it states, “On the night of June 16, 1775, a detail of American troops acting
under orders from Artemas Ward moved out of their camp, carrying picks, shovels, and guns.
They entrenched themselves on a rise located on Charleston Peninsula overlooking Boston. Their
destination: Bunker Hill. From this hill, the rebels could bombard the town and British ships in
Boston Harbor. But Ward's men misunderstood his orders. They went to BREED'S HILL by
mistake and entrenched themselves there — closer to the British position” ( U.S History.org)
This was the main reason why the Battle of Bunker Hills was not the actual battle field.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was not only significant because of the confidence it brought to the
Americans. It also led to some events such as the passing of the Intolerable acts, the effects o the
Battle of Saratoga, and the war between the southern colonies. It was also was a natural
extension of the battles of Lexington and Concord, which were fought in April 1775 with the
Intolerable Acts as the British’s response to the Boston Tea Party, and the British had occupation
of Boston and the declaration of martial law throughout much of New England. If this battle
never occurred in the first place, Americans would have still been under the British Rule because
they would not have had the courage to even go into battle with them and ultimately win in the
end of the American Revolutionary war.
Works Cited Page: MLA Format
"Battle of Bunker Hill Begins." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 01 Dec.
2016.
@HistoryNet. "Bunker Hill: America's Greatest Battle? | HistoryNet." HistoryNet. N.p.,
2016. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.
Kennedy, David M., and Lizabeth Cohen. The American Pageant: A History of the American
People. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.
Ketchum, Richard M., and Richard M. Ketchum. Decisive Day; the Battle for Bunker Hill.
Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1974. Print.
Russell, Francis. Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill. New York: American Heritage Pub.,
1963. Print.
Author’s Biography
My name is Chelsea Kathrina Paclibar and I am currently attending Redlands High
School as a junior, with high honors and enrollment to Honors/AP classes since freshmen
year. I am a student athlete who participates in sports such as Tennis, Basketball, and
Badminton in JV/Varsity levels. I am also privileged to be involve in our school show
choir, Les Chanteuses, for which we convey our love for music through singing and
dancing. I had been in choir for three years and plan to still be a part of it until I graduate
next year. Additionally, I am active outside of school with my extra-curricular activities
and community activities. In my church, Loma Linda Filipino Church (LLFC), I am a
part of this organization/club called “Pathfinders” for which we meet up every other
Wednesday nights and once a month for the weekends in order to serve in the community
and learn to be great leaders. This year, I was chosen to be the Vice President and Drill
Commander for our club as well as the head Praise Team leader for our youth church; I
am also in two choirs outside of school and the church orchestra. Throughout my busy
schedule, I also take piano lessons and work as a tutor in my free times so I can earn a
little bit of money, save up, and learn to be independent. I
keep up and maintain my
grades by balancing and managing my time wisely but still have fun with my teammates
and friends. After high school, I am aiming to attend UC Davis, UCSD, or another
university that offers Veterinary programs so that I can strive and reach for my goal of
becoming a Veterinarian in the future. I will continue to work and study hard so I will be
able to accomplish my goals in life.