Background Of The Battle Of Bunker Hill

Essay, Research Paper

Background of the Battle of Bunker Hill

f Bunker HillNews of April 19, 1775 at Lexington and Concord spread very fast. As the messengers went out through the small towns of Connecticut on their way to Hartford, and from there to New York and Philadelphia, the men of Connecticut grabbed their guns, said their good-byes, and set off for Massachusetts. They went on their way as if they had instructions on what to do. They did not wait for the Governor to tell them what to do. Some were even on their way within 48 hours of the first shot at Lexington.

News of the British retreat to Boston reached men along the road. Some who had not gone far at all just simply went back home, but others that had traveled a long distance decided to go on to Boston.

Through the rest of April and May, Connecticut set about the job of formally calling troops together. On May 1 Jedediah Hyde became the 1st Lieutenant in Capt. Coit’s Company of Gen. Parson’s Regiment. Most of this regiment remained at New London, but one company was sent to Northern Department, and two companies (including Coit’s) were assigned to keeping the British surrounded in Boston. It is also possible that Coit’s Company was formed at Boston by Connecticut men who had marched there after hearing the news about Lexington and never returned home.

After retreating from Lexington in April of 1775 the British army stayed in Boston for a couple of months. Realizing the need to strengthen their position to face the Americans, plans were formed to seize and fortify Dorchester Heights because they offered a view of the sea and harbor and they were very important to making sure Boston was safe. Americans found out about this and decided to get Charleston peninsula first and fortify it. Then trying to get the British to leave Boston.

By the beginning of June, the British commander at Boston, Gen. Tomas Gage, was in a most embarrassing situation. The army surrounding the city continued to grow in size, Boston was under siege. Gage asked for more men, he was sent three major generals, John Burgoyne, Henry Clinton, and William Howe. They all arrived on May 25. A plan was set up to break out of Boston, but since there were so many citizens that hated the British it was impossible because they reported every troop movement to the American commanders.

On June 16,1775 under the leadership of Colonels Putnam and Prescott set out onto Charleston peninsula with instructions to dig in on Bunker Hill.