Bunker Hill, Battle of

The first significant engagement in the American Revolution, on 17 June 1775, near a small hill in Charlestown (now part of Boston), Massachusetts; the battle actually took place on Breed's Hill, but is named after Bunker Hill as this was the more significant of the two. Although the colonists were defeated, they were able to retreat to Boston in good order.

The two hills had a commanding position over Boston and so the British general Thomas Gage, governor of Massachusetts, decided to occupy them, but was pre-empted by a party of about 1,200 American militia who seized Breed's Hill on the night of 16 June and erected a stockade to protect themselves from the fire of British warships in the harbour. The following morning Gage ordered a 2,000-strong force of infantry to clear the hill. The British made two advances which suffered heavy losses owing to strong barrages from the American position; a third, better-planned attack succeeded in taking the top of the hill and driving off the Americans. Gage's failure to soundly defeat the rebels resulted in his replacement as British commander.