achment of one thousand men, commanded by colonel Prescott, was
ordered to take possession of this ground; but, by some mistake,
Breed's hill, situate nearer to Boston, was marked out, instead of
Bunker's hill, for the proposed intrenchments.

The party sent on this service worked with so much diligence and
secrecy that, by the dawn of day, they had thrown up a small square
redoubt, without alarming some ships of war which lay in the river at
no great distance. As soon as the returning light discovered this work
to the ships, a heavy cannonade was commenced upon it, which the
provincials sustained with firmness. They continued to labour until
they had thrown up a small breast work stretching from the east side
of the redoubt to the bottom of the hill, so as to extend considerably
their line of defence.

As this eminence overlooked Boston, general Gage determined to drive
the provincials from it; and for this purpose, detached major general
Howe, and brigadier general Pigot, at the head of ten companies of
grenadiers, and the same number of light infantry with a proper
proportion of field artillery. These troops landed at Moreton's point;
but, perceiving that the Americans waited for them with firmness, they
remained on their ground until the arrival of a reinforcement from
Boston, for which general Howe had applied. During this interval, the
Americans also were reinforced by a detachment under the command of
generals Warren and Pommeroy; and they availed themselves of this
delay to strengthen their defences with some adjoining posts and rails
which they pulled up and arranged in two parallel lines at a small
distance from each other; rilling the space between with hay, so as to
form a complete cover from the musketry of the assailants.

The British troops, on being joined by their second detachment,
advanced slowly, in two lines, under cover of a heavy discharge of
cannon and howitzers, frequently halting in order to allow their
artillery time to demolish the works. While they were advancing,
orders were given to set fire to Charlestown, a handsome village,
which flanked their line of march, and which was soon consumed.

It is not easy to conceive a spectacle more grand and more awful than
was now exhibited, nor a moment of more anxious expectation. The scene
of action was in full view of the heights of Boston and of its
neighbourhood, which were covered with spectators taking deep and
opposite interests in the even