Battle of Bunker Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Bunker Hill |
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| Part of the American Revolutionary War | |||||||||
 Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill by John Trumbull |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Great Britain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 William Prescott Israel Putnam Joseph Warren † John Stark |
William Howe Thomas Gage Sir Robert Pigot James Abercrombie † Henry Clinton Samuel Graves John Pitcairn † |
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| Strength | |||||||||
| ~2,400 | 3,000+ | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 115 killed, 305 wounded, 30 captured (20 POWs died) Total: 450 |
19 officers killed 62 officers wounded 207 soldiers killed 766 soldiers wounded Total: 1,054 |
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The Battle of Bunker Hill was a major fight during the American Revolutionary War. It happened on Saturday, June 17, 1775. This battle was part of the Siege of Boston, an early stage of the war.
The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts. However, most of the fighting actually took place on a nearby spot. This area later became known as Breed's Hill.
Contents
Why the Battle Started
In June 1775, American colonial leaders learned something important. The British army was planning to take control of hills around Boston. These hills would give them power over Boston Harbor. To stop this, about 1,200 colonial soldiers acted quickly. They were led by William Prescott.
On the night of June 16, these soldiers secretly moved onto Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. They worked all night building a strong fort, called a redoubt, on Breed's Hill. They also made smaller defenses across the Charlestown Peninsula.
The Fight for the Hills
By the morning of June 17, the British saw the American defenses. They decided to attack right away. The British soldiers marched up the hill towards the colonists.
The Americans waited until the British were very close. Then, they fired their guns. This surprised the British, who suffered many losses. The colonists pushed back two British attacks.
However, the American soldiers began to run out of ammunition. In their third attack, the British finally managed to take the fort. The colonists had to retreat over Bunker Hill. The British then took control of the entire peninsula.
Who Won and What It Meant
The British won the battle, but it was a very costly victory for them. They lost many more soldiers than the Americans did. Many British officers were also killed or wounded. This kind of win, where the winner suffers heavy losses, is sometimes called a Pyrrhic victory.
The Battle of Bunker Hill showed something important. Even inexperienced American militia could stand up to the well-trained British army. This made the British more careful in future battles. They avoided attacking head-on against strong defenses.
American losses were much smaller. But they did lose important leaders like General Joseph Warren. This battle gave the Americans hope. It showed them they could fight against the powerful British.
After this battle, the British changed their plans. They became more cautious. This new approach sometimes gave American forces a chance to retreat if they were losing. The high cost of the battle also convinced the British to hire more soldiers. They brought in Hessian auxiliaries (German soldiers) to help them fight the new Continental Army.
Interesting Facts About Bunker Hill
- Most of the fighting happened on Breed’s Hill, not Bunker Hill.
- Major John Simpson was one of the American soldiers said to have fired the first shot.
- Over 1,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded at Bunker Hill.
- The colonists lost because they ran out of gunpowder and bullets.
- Americans used muskets and guns. The British used muskets and bayonets (knives attached to rifles).
- Even though the colonists lost, the battle gave them confidence. It made them believe they could beat the British.
Images for kids
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1775 map of the Boston area (contains some inaccuracies)
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Array of American forces for the Battle of Bunker Hill
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The first British attack on Bunker Hill; shaded areas are hills
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The second British attack on Bunker Hill
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The third and final British attack on Bunker Hill
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Ralph Farnham, one of the last survivors
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Bunker Hill clipper ship
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Statue of William Prescott in Charlestown, Massachusetts
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Bunker Hill para niños
