Meet the Players

General Thomas Gage (b. 1718/19) is the overall commander of British Forces in North America and currently serving as the Military Governor of Massachusetts Bay. In the wake of Lexington and Concord, Boston is surrounded by New England militia, trapping Gage and his army inside the town. With reinforcements on the way, he prepares to break out of Boston by seizing the high grounds that surround the peninsula; the objective is to capture Dorchester Heights across the harbor to the south, and the hills of Charlestown across the Charles River to the north. Gage sets his plans for June 18, but when American officers learn of the British intentions, they send a force to fortify Charlestown before Gage’s men can get the chance. To prevent the colonists from keeping the high ground, Gage sends Generals Howe, Pigot, and Clinton to cross the water and charge the hill. Gage is not on the field at Bunker Hill, but watching the battle from the steeple of Old North Church, the very spot where Paul Revere had arranged a signal to Sons of Liberty, which started the war.

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Maj. General William Howe (b. 1729) just arrived in Boston aboard the HMS Cerberus only three weeks ago with a wave of reinforcements for General Gage. As veterans of the Seven Years War, General Howe and his brother, Admiral Richard Howe got to know the colonists they now faced as enemies; the eldest Howe brother, George, died in the arms of Israel Putnam, the colonial general now occupying Breed’s Hill. William and Richard have been publicly sympathetic to the colonial cause and are popular amongst the colonists. They are considered Britain’s best hope for bringing the colonists to their senses. Howe’s powers are diplomatic as well as military, and he believes that a quick decisive victory will bring the colonists to negotiate. General Gage has given him command of 3,000 men to take Bunker Hill and break the stalemate. Howe prepares his best troops – the grenadiers and light infantry – to cross the Charles River and attack the colonial position.

 

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General Sir Robert Pigot (b. 1720) is the second of three successful sons. His younger brother is a Rear-Admiral in His Majesty’s navy, and Commander-in-Chief of the West Indies fleet. Robert’s older brother George is the Governor of Madras in India, and is soon to begin his second stint as President of the East India Company (it was East India Tea that was dumped in Boston Harbor eighteen months ago). Robert is a veteran of the Seven Years War, and his strong family connections have made him Britain’s Warden of the Mint. He is in command of the left flank Howe’s landing force. His men will need to clear the village of Charlestown and attack the Colonial forces head on.

 

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General Sir Henry Clinton (b. 1730) spent his career in Europe, fighting in Germany during the Seven Years War alongside Charles Lee and William Alexander (two men he will soon face as enemies in America). His arrival aboard the HMS Cerberus only three weeks ago is his first in America, and his long service fighting professional European armies is an asset for the beleaguered General Gage. It was Clinton’s suggestion to take and fortify the hills surrounding the peninsula of Boston, and Gage approved of the idea. During the night of June 16, Clinton reconnoitered the Colonial position and reported to General Gage. He pushed for a dawn attack across Charlestown Neck, trapping the Colonists inside their fortifications, but his plan was voted down. He watches the battle unfold from Boston before gathering reinforcements to join the third and final assault up Bunker Hill.

 

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Lt. Col. James Abercrombie (B. 1732) served in the Seven Years’ War as Aide-de-Camp to the Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Forces in North America, General James Abercrombie (unknown relation). Abercrombie saw action at the Battle of Fort Carrion, now known as Fort Ticonderoga. This service led him to his current command of the 22nd Regiment of Foot. As part of General Pigot’s left wing, Abercrombie is to take a force of elite grenadiers on a charge up Breed’s Hill as a feint while General Howe leads the light infantry on a flanking maneuver against the Colonists’ left.

 

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Major Pitcairn (b. 1722) is known to the people of Boston, and to the militiamen currently surrounding it. Pitcairn arrived in Boston in 1774 commanding 600 men of His Majesty’s Marine Forces as a part of the closing of the harbor; his son Thomas is among those marines. Major Pitcairn is considered to be very reasonable in dealing with the citizenry, and he is respected even by more rebellious colonists, which is why he was ordered to Concord in April 1775. He was the ranking officer of the advance column that reached Lexington Green on April 19, 1775 and wrangled his troops back in order after they fired on the Colonial militia there. Pitcairn and his men started the American Revolutionary War that day. Throughout the day’s fighting at Lexington and Concord, he lost a pair of pistols in the chaos. Those pistols are now in the possession of Colonial General Israel Putnam, and Putnam is now commanding the men opposite Pitcairn atop the hill in Charlestown.

 

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Admiral Samuel Graves (b. 1713) comes from a Royal Navy family – he is related to two captains and two admirals. Graves is the commander of the entire North American Squadron of His Majesty’s Navy, an impressive but thankless job. Graves has only 26 ships with which to patrol and police the shoreline of British North America, from Nova Scotia to Georgia, over 1500 miles. The tenuous nature of his command, and his ornery nature have strained his relationship with General Gage. The commanders of British land and sea forces are at odds, and do not always coordinate well together. From his flagship, HMS Somerset, Graves will conduct the cannonading of the Colonial positions in Charlestown. It will be his sailors who ferry soldiers from Boston to Charlestown, and it will be his ships trying to keep the enemy pinned down.

 

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Margaret Kemble Gage (b. 1734) was born in New Jersey, and has deep patrician roots to some of the oldest and most esteemed families in New York. Like other wealthy and influential colonists, she has familial ties to England – in her case, she is married to General Thomas Gage, the commander of British forces in North America. As unrest builds in Massachusetts, Margaret publically expresses her mixed loyalties. On the one hand, she supports her husband, but on the other, she never wants to see harm befall the colonists whom she calls her “countrymen.” A wealthy and influential person, Margaret dines with the highest circles of Boston society, including some of the more radically inclined. General Gage’s plan to send troops to Concord in April 1775 was a closely guarded secret, but somehow, Colonial leader Joseph Warren learned of the mission and dispatched Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn the militias. This resulted in the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Now the general’s plan to fortify Charlestown has been leaked, and colonists have already taken the ground. Nobody knows for certain, but many British officers begin to suspect Margaret and her loyalties.

 

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Abijah Willard (b. 1724) is a Massachusetts man who proudly fought for England in two previous wars. When his fellow New Englanders started rebelling against King and Country, Willard disapproved and remained a loyal subject. Loyalties among friends and family are tested and broken all over New England as people are forced to choose sides. Willard’s family is not immune to this fact of civil war. His wife is Elizabeth Prescott; Elizabeth’s brother is Colonel William Prescott, the man commanding 1200 Colonial soldiers in a redoubt atop Breed’s Hill. As a loyal subject and a colonist, Willard provides aid and information to General Gage. When asked if his brother-in-law will fight, Willard tells Gage “As to his men, I cannot answer for them, but Colonel Prescott will fight you to the gates of Hell.” Willard can only watch the battle unfold from the relative safety of Boston, yet even as a civilian, his property and his family’s livelihood hang in the balance.

 

 

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General Artemas Ward (b. 1727) is a beloved old warhorse. He rose to the rank of Colonel in the Massachusetts Militia during the Seven Years’ War, and at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the Massachusetts Committee of Safety promoted Ward to General and Commander-in-Chief of the entire state militia. Upon arrival of troops from New Hampshire and Connecticut to the Siege of Boston, the legislatures of those states also voted to name Ward as overall commander. With his headquarters in Cambridge, Ward’s hands are full with the problems forming the New England militia rabble into an army. Ward reorganizes the troops into new regiments and establishes new lines of defense and communication from Cambridge to Roxbury. He is hampered by the small amount of supplies that manage to trickle into Cambridge. As overall commander, it was Ward’s decision to send General Putnam and Colonel Prescott to fortify Bunker Hill. Ward is not on the field of battle that day, but he endeavors to keep a fresh supply of men and powder flowing from Cambridge to Breed’s Hill.

 

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Maj. General Israel “Old Put” Putnam (b. 1718) is an old soldier with patrician roots in Massachusetts Bay; his father, Joseph, publicly opposed the Salem Witch Trials (which were largely started by Israel’s uncle Thomas). With deep family roots in Massachusetts political and military history, it was no surprise when he rose from the rank of private to colonel during the Seven Years’ War. Putnam served alongside Robert Rogers and his famed Rangers in many engagements, including the Battle of Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) during which General George Howe (William’s brother) died in Putnam’s arms. Putnam’s military exploits made him famous, and his devotion to the cause made him revered, and now he is second in command of all colonial forces surrounding Boston. Knowing the British plans to break out of Boston by crossing the water to Charlestown, Putnam has orders to bring men to Bunker Hill and fortify the ground before the British get the chance. Once in Charlestown, Putnam argues that the hill closer to Boston will place British ships under threat of colonial artillery. Such a move will force General Gage’s hand, making the British fight on ground of Putnam’s choosing. As Putnam teaches the men to build earthworks, load and fire cannon, and prepare for battle, he carries with him two pistols that once belonged to Major John Pitcairn – souvenirs from the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

 

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Colonel William Prescott (b. 1726) fought for the British in two previous wars. His bravery and the admiration of the men make him a favorite officer of the command staff. Upon learning of the British plans to cross the river and capture Charlestown, General Israel Putnam orders Prescott to take 1,200 men under cover of darkness to fortify the hill before the British have the chance. About 11:00 PM on the night of June 16, Prescott and his men moved into Charlestown and began construction of an earthen breastwork on Breed’s Hill. With so little time to prepare the ground before the British see them, Prescott’s men build the defenses to be about four feet high. Prescott, standing at 6’2”, is quite the target for British guns, which open fire on the hill at 4:00 AM. His men are tired, hungry, and frightened when a man is killed by British cannonfire. Prescott calms the men by walking back and forth along the top of the redoubt, encouraging them to continue their work. Intending to inflict as many casualties as possible, Prescott placed markers forty to fifty paces in front of the breastwork and ordered the men “not to fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” His men have worked all night, and have endured nearly twelve hours of British bombardment. By the afternoon of June 17, Prescott and his 1,200 men are the focal point of the colonial defenses. Can he and his men hold?

 

 

Joseph Warren (b. 1741) is one of the most important people on the field today. He is one of the most prominent figures in Boston, and the face of the Revolution, serving as President of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Warren is a physician, and was the one who performed the autopsy for Chrisopher Serider, a 12 year old boy who was shot and killed in the tensions leading up to the Boston Massacre in 1770. Warren gave two massively popular public operations on the Boston Massacre and became a leading Son of Liberty. He helped John Hancock when his ship Liberty was impounded by customs agents. He served on the Governor’s Council alongside Samuel Adams. He served on the Committee of Correspondence for Suffolk County, and drafted the Suffolk Resolves, which established a separate Massachusetts government – independent of Royal rule – until colonial rights were reestablished. The Suffolk Resolves were adopted by the First Continental Congress, putting all thirteen colonies on a path towards independence. As a member of the Committee of Safety, Warren oversaw the formation of the minutemen, and the organization of militia regiments throughout Massachusetts. On April 18, 1775, Warren learned of the British plan to send troops to Concord to destroy military supplies thought to be hidden there. Warren dispatched William Dawes and Paul Revere to sneak out of Boston before the British and warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the raid headed their way. He then slipped out of Boston and participated in the battles. While he is a gentleman of high esteem, Warren will not wait for his commission as a general to prevent him from marching to Bunker Hill. He volunteers himself as a private and joins his countrymen in the redoubt, declaring his hope to “die up to my knees in blood” in defense of America.

 

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Col. James Frye (b. 1710) of Andover leads a regiment of Massachusetts militia from Essex County. They have been in the fight since Lexington and Concord, and now Frye’s Regiment takes their spot inside the redoubt atop Breed’s Hill to reinforce Prescott’s spent force. His steady leadership makes him a rallying point for the colonists, and a target for the British.

 

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Col. Ebenezer Bridge (b.1744) of Billerica leads a regiment inside the redoubt atop Breed’s Hill. His mettle is severely tested.

 

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Col. Jonathan Brewer (b. 1725) of Waltham leads a regiment of reinforcements to guard the left flank of the colonial line. His men are stationed in the center breastwork between Prescott’s redoubt and Stark’s breastwork on the beach.

 

 

Col. John Nixon (b. 1727) of Sudbury leads his Massachusetts men to the breastwork between Prescott’s redoubt and Stark’s breastwork on the beach.

 

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Col. Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge (b. 1739) of South Hadley, Massachusetts, leads a regiment of reinforcements across Charlestown Neck under enemy fire from the Royal Navy. His men maintain good order as they move to the right flank on the edge of the village of Charlestown. His men snipe and take pot shots at the British troops as they land on the beachhead and organize themselves.

 

 

Col. Moses Little (b. 1724) of Newbury, Massachusetts leads his regiment to the right flank outside of the redoubt. There they protect Richard Gridley’s artillery pieces.

 

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Col. Samuel Gerrish (b. 1725) of Newbury is not unlike the uneasy militiamen he commands. General Ward needs more men and ammunition at Breed’s Hill to keep the fight alive. When Gerrish brings his men to Charlestown Neck and sees the danger of battle up close, he is terrified and refuses to bring his men across.

 

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Col. John Stark (b. 1728) of Londonderry, New Hampshire leads the 1st New Hampshire Regiment under fire across Charlestown Neck to reinforce Prescott. He is a veteran of the Seven Years’ War, in which he fought alongside Israel Putnam in Rogers Rangers. Stark sees the weakness on the colonial left flank as the tide ebbs making a gap. Stark and his men hurry to the beachhead and erect a breastwork using earth and rail fences. His men are still working as General Howe approaches.

 

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Col. James Reed (b. 1724) is a veteran of the Seven Years’ War, and now commands the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment. While Massachusetts regiments refuse to go to Breed’s Hill and join the fight, Reed and his men follow Stark and the 1st New Hampshire to reinforce Prescott and his beleaguered men. Reed and Stark secure the left flank along the northern shore of the Charlestown Peninsula.

 

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Col. Richard Gridley (b. 1710) is an aged veteran who learned artillery in the British Army and now serves as the Chief Engineer of the Army of Observation. General Ward’s orders to fortify Charlestown include the construction of an earthen fortress called a redoubt. As Chief Engineer, Gridley is in charge of laying out the lines of defense. Although the orders are to fortify Bunker Hill, Gridley and the other officers argue about the location. Eventually, it is Chief Engineer Gridley who lays the lines of defense and oversees the construction of the redoubt. As a trained artillerist, Gridley places the colonial field pieces in locations he believes best. Nobody questions the bravery and fortitude of Gen. Gridley, but there are doubts about the officers under him.

 

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Captain John Callender is one of Colonel Gridley’s officers. He lacks experience and the willingness to fight. Taking a position near Col. Stark’s breastwork, he learns he does not have the correct size ammunition for his gun. Callender and his men retreat from the action even as the British advance. General Putnam orders Callender back to his position under threat of death. Putnam showed the men how to break open the ammunition to fit it into their gun, but despite this new on-the-job training, Callender will not face the foe. He and his men retreat, abandoning their cannon to be captured. Callender’s actions will see him face a court martial and be cashiered out of the army.

 

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Captain Samuel Trevett (b. 1751) of Marblehead, Massachusetts, commands an artillery company under Major Scarborough Gridley (the son of Col. Richard Gridley), stationed at General Ward’s headquarters in Cambridge. Seeing the intensity of the fighting, Maj. Gridley refuses to take his guns to Charlestown. Trevett defies orders and marches his company to the weakest part of the colonial line – the left of Stark’s breastwork. Trevett’s company is the only effective colonial artillery, firing grapeshot into the advancing British lines.

 

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Captain Thomas Knowlton (b. 1740) commands Putnam’s regiment in the General’s absence. His men entrench behind rail fences and earthworks between the redoubt and Stark’s breastwork. Knowlton and his men will be the last to leave the field, providing cover to the main retreat.

 

 

Salem Poor (b. 1747) was born enslaved in Andover, Massachusetts, until buying his freedom in 1769. Poor enlisted in Capt. Thomas Drury’s Company of Col. Frye’s Regiment. Poor and his comrades are sent to Bunker Hill to help build the fortifications and relieve Prescott’s tired men. Instead, they find the hill engulfed in wuthering fire. Poor and his men now fight to protect the retreating men.

 

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Barzillai “Zeal” Lew (b. 1743) is a native of Groton, Massachusetts. Lew is a free person of color, and a private in Capt. John Ford’s Company of Col. Bridge’s Regiment. He is a veteran of the Seven Years’ War, and now he fights inside the redoubt atop the hill. He is a talented musician as well as a soldier.

 

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Peter Salem (b. 1750) was born into slavery in Framingham, Massachusetts. His second enslaver, Major Lawson Buckminster, emancipated Salem so that he could serve in the militia. Salem fought at Lexington and Concord, and now serves as a private in Captain Drury’s Company of Col. Nixon’s Regiment. Positioned inside the redoubt, Peter Salem will be at the center of the heaviest fighting. With only thirteen rounds in his cartridge box, he has to choose his marks well. Officers are prime targets.