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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Boston, (search)
em out to sea. The siege continued from June, 1775, until March, 1776. Fortifications were built, a thorough organization of the army was effected, and all that industry and skill could do, with the materials in hand, to strike an effectual blow was done. All through the remainder of the summer and the autumn of 1775 these preparations went on, and late in the year the American army around Boston, 14,000 strong, extended from Roxbury, on the right, to Prospect Hill 2 miles northwest of Breed's Hill, on the left. The right was commanded by Gen. Artemas Ward, and the left by Gen. Charles Lee. The centre, at Cambridge, was under the immediate command of Washington. The enlistments of many of the troops would expire with the year. Many refused to re-enlist. The Connecticut troops demanded a bounty; and when it was refused, because the Congress had not authorized it, they resolved to leave camp in a body. Many did go, and never came back. But at that dark hour new and patriotic ef
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Brooks, John, 1752- (search)
Brooks, John, 1752- Soldier and statesman; born in Medford, Mass., May 31, 1752; received a common-school education, studied medicine, and settled in its practice at Reading, where he commanded a company of minute-men when the Revolution began. With his men he was engaged in the affairs of April 19, 1775, at Lexington and Concord. Brooks was active in intrenching Breed's Hill (see Bunker Hill) on the night of June 16, 1775, and was major of a regiment that assisted in fortifying Dorchester Heights. Early in 1776 he accompanied it to Long Island, and fought there. The battle of White Plains tested his capacity as a disciplinarian and leader; and early in 1777 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 8th Massachusetts Regiment, which was chiefly recruited by himself. He became colonel of the 7th Massachusetts Regiment late in 1778; and he accompanied Arnold on his expedition to relieve Fort Stanwix in 1777. He led his regiment in battle with great prowess and success at Sa
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Bunker Hill, battle of. (search)
over Charlestown Neck; but, going by Bunker Hill, they ascended Breed's Hill (much nearer Boston), where they had a better command of the toweir vessels were immediately brought to bear upon the redoubt on Breed's Hill, and the noise of the cannonade aroused the sleepers in Boston. The Americans on Breed's Hill continued their work until eleven o'clock on that very hot June morning, under an incessant shower of shot and ts from the wharves in Boston, and landed at the eastern base of Breed's Hill. Meanwhile the troops who had worked all night and half of a hot June day in throwing up intrenchments on Breed's Hill were not relieved by others, as they should have been. Colonel Prescott, at first, di in Boston, hurled random shots in abundance on the Americans on Breed's Hill. The occupants of the redoubt kept silent until the enemy had agures in history as the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was fought on Breed's Hill, some distance from the former. The battle was seen by thousand
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Congress, Continental (search)
ess, and conduct of the colonies, and of the measures of the British government towards them since 1763, they specified the various acts of Parliaments which were oppressive to the colonies. Having reverted to their fruitless petition to the throne and remonstrances to Parliament; to the unprovoked attack of British troops on the inhabitants of Massachusetts at Lexington and Concord; to the proclamation declaring the people of the colonies to be in a state of rebellion; to the events at Breed's Hill and the burning of Charlestown, the manifesto proceeded: Our cause is just. Our union is perfect. Our internal resources are great, and, if necessary, foreign assistance is undoubtedly attainable. After acknowledging the evidence of divine favor towards the colonists by not permitting them to be called into this controversy until they had grown strong and disciplined by experience to defend themselves, the manifesto most solemnly declared that the colonists, having been compelled by th
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Prescott, William 1726-1795 (search)
nd was one of General Winslow's captains in Nova Scotia in 1756, when the dispersion of the Acadians took place (see Acadia). Prescott inherited a large estate at Pepperell, and held several offices of trust there. When the news of the fight at Lexington reached him he assembled a regiment of minute-men, of which he became colonel, and marched to Cambridge. When it was decided to fortify Bunker Hill, Prescott was chosen to conduct the enterprise. He cast up a redoubt and breastworks on Breed's Hill, and defended it bravely the next day (June 17, 1775) until his ammunition was exhausted, when he was compelled to retreat, after a severe battle with 3,000 troops under Generals Howe and Clinton. He was among the last to quit the field. Prescott resigned his commission early in 1777, and returned home; but in the autumn of the same year he entered the Northern army under Gates as a volunteer, and was present at the capture of Burgoyne. After the war he was in the Massachusetts legis
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Warren, Joseph 1741- (search)
se the defeat of the provincials is chiefly chargeable. When a majority of a council of war and the committee of safety decided to fortify Bunker Hill, he resolved to take part in the enterprise. I beg you not to expose your person, Dr. Warren, said Elbridge Gerry, for your life is too valuable to us. I know that I may fall, replied Warren, but where's the man who does not think it glorious and delightful to die for his country? Just before the battle began he went to the redoubt on Breed's Hill with a musket in his hand, and was offered the command by Colonel Prescott and General Putnam, but declined, and fought as a volunteer in the ranks. He was one of the last to leave the redoubt. As he moved away towards Bunker Hill an officer of the British army who knew him called out to him by name to surrender, at the same time commanding his men to cease firing. As Warren turned, attracted by the voice, a bullet penetrated his brain and he fell dead. The Continental Congress voted
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), William and Mary, Fort (search)
e foundations of this church were laid. Over against the now vacant space, and in a little plot adjoining Sullivan's former residence, a plain marble slab gives token that the remains of the soldier-statesman were buried there. The captured powder, as before intimated, played an important part at the battle of Bunker Hill. In the Continental army gathered about Boston there was a terrible lack of ammunition. It is a fact, says Bancroft, referring to the day before Prescott occupied Breed's Hill, that the Americans, after collecting all the ammunition north of the Delaware, had in their magazine, for an army engaged in a siege and preparing for fight, no more than twenty-seven and a half barrels [kegs?] of powder, with a gift from Connecticut of thirty-six and a half barrels more. When, as the British were forming for a decisive charge on his hotly defended works, Prescott discovered that he had barely one round of ammunition among his men, and gave the order to retreat, both hi
Oliver Otis Howard, Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard, major general , United States army : volume 1, Chapter 9: en route to the front; passage through Baltimore; arrival in Washington (search)
argest city, we met a marked demonstration. Food, drink, and flowers were brought to the cars and freely offered, but we could not delay, though the people asked to extend a more formal welcome. At Boston, early in the afternoon, a company of guards in spotless uniform and with wondrous perfection of drill paraded before our soldiers in their somber gray and escorted them through the eddies and whirlpools of city people, along the winding streets and out into the Common. Bunker Hill, Breed's Hill, the Old South Church, and other ancient sentinels, which had observed the beginnings of our liberty, looked solemnly and silently upon us as we passed. Surely, many of us would die before the boastful threat of Robert Toombs to count his slaves on Bunker Hill should be carried out. Boston Common! How beautiful, as we marched in, was its green, undulating surface; how pretty the lawns and little lakes; how grateful and refreshing the shade this hot June day. The governor, John A. And
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Carlyle's laugh and other surprises, chapter 13 (search)
sibly associate with him was a sketch in a newspaper bearing the somewhat meaningless title The last shake, suggested by watching the withdrawal of the last man with a hand-cart who was ever allowed to shake carpets on Boston Common. He was, no doubt, a dusty and forlorn figure enough. But to Hale's ready imagination he stood for a whole epoch of history, for the long procession of carpet-shakers who were doing their duty there when Percy marched to Lexington, or when the cannonade from Breed's Hill was in the air. Summer and winter had come and gone, sons had succeeded their fathers at their work, and the beating of the carpets had gone on, undrowned by the rising city's roar. At last the more fastidious aldermen rebelled, the last shake was given, and Edward Everett Hale wrote its elegy. I suppose I kept the little newspaper cutting on my desk for five years, as a model of what wit and sympathy could extract from the humblest theme. Another stroke was of quite a different char
Edward H. Savage, author of Police Recollections; Or Boston by Daylight and Gas-Light ., Boston events: a brief mention and the date of more than 5,000 events that transpired in Boston from 1630 to 1880, covering a period of 250 years, together with other occurrences of interest, arranged in alphabetical order, Boston events. (search)
specie payments, Jan. 1, 1879 Merchants', in State street, granite pillars in front removed, June 5, 1856 Pawners', in Union street, opened for business, Jan. 23, 1860 Barracks on the Common, at Lynde street Church and Old South (British), 1775 Barton's Point at the foot of Leverett street, 1732 Barnicoat, William veteran fireman, Ex-Chief Engineer, died, Jan. 21, 1867 Battles at Lexington and Concord, first of the Revolution, Apr. 19, 1775 Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill), Charlestown, June 17, 1775 Saratoga, Gen. Burgoyne's defeat, Oct. 17, 1777 Yorktown, Cornwallis' defeat; great sensation, Oct. 19, 1781 Big Bethel, great sensation in Boston, June 11, 1861 Bull Run, first reverse, sensation in Boston, July 21, 1861 Ball's Bluff reverse, sensation in Boston, Oct. 23, 1861 Hampton Roads, Monitor engagement, Mar. 8, 1862 Bull Run, second reverse, great excitement, Aug. 31, 1862 Lee's surrender to Grant, great excitement, Apr. 10, 18
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