Event Schedule

In the evening hours of June 16th, 1,200 American soldiers leave their camp at Cambridge to cross the neck onto the Charlestown peninsula.  These hardened men from the country took on the work of fortifying Bunker Hill.  As dawn broke, British cannons from ships and Cobb’s Hill (Boston) open fire to try to halt the work.

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Join the soldiers as they construct the fortifications with hand tools from the period.  Learn about the backgrounds and motivations of these Americans.

General Gage forms British soldiers from the Boston garrison to land on the tip of the Charlestown Peninsula and form for a plan to drive the American’s from their fortifications on the Hill.  As the British soldiers land, sharpshooters from Charlestown take pot shots at them.  In response British soldiers set fire to Charlestown to drive off the sharpshooters, additionally using the smoke to mask their movements.

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Watch as British sailors and soldiers from Boston land in the harbor in 18th century boats on the Charlestown Penisula (Half-Moon Beach) forming for their assault on the American positions.

While the British Marines make a frontal assault on the redoubt as a faint, the elite soldiers of Gage’s force (Grenadiers and Light Infantry) attempt to flank the American fortifications by attacking down a beach on the Mystic River.  These soldiers charge down the beach opposed by New Hampshire soldiers under Stark at a rail fence.  The New Hampshire soldiers give an incessant fire which shatters the attack and drives back the Grenadiers and Light Infantry.

Watch as Britain’s elite soldiers assault American flank positions (near Cressy Beach).

With the flanking attack on the beach broken, General Howe rallies the Marines along with the remaining Grenadiers and Light Infantry to make a head-on assault at the amin redoubt and rail fence of the American line.  They are slowed in their advance by the numerous farmers’ fences, taking heavy casualties and fall back. Major John Pitcairn of the Marines is fatally wounded by Salem Poor.  Howe has his men drop their packs and advances in column to negate American artillery fire.  The advance in a final assault.  The Americans, having run out of powder, begin throwing rocks in a desperate attempt to slow the British.  Out of powder and overwhelmed the Americans flee the hill.  General Joseph Warren of the American forces is killed in this final assault.  

Watch as American militia soldiers defend their fortifications against the attacking British soldiers.

The citizens of Boston were able to observe the Battle of Bunker Hill from the rooftops and hills of the City.  They had been under British occupation since the enforcement of the Boston Port Act a year earlier had shut down nearly all commerce to the town causing many to leave.  

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Interpreters will explain civilian life in Massachusetts in the 1770s.  Through a diversity of perspectives across race, gender, class and politics, you will learn about the dynamic lives of 18th century Bostonians.