die in Battle.--/Philadelphia:/
Printed and Sold by Robert Bell, in Third-Street./MDCCLXXVI./

[Illustration: THE

BATTLE

OF

BUNKERS-HILL.

A DRAMATIC PIECE,

OF FIVE ACTS,

IN HEROIC MEASURE.

BY A GENTLEMAN OF MARYLAND.

----_Pulcrumque mori succurrit in armis._

VIRGIL.

'Tis glorious to die in Battle.

PHILADELPHIA:

Printed and Sold by ROBERT BELL, in Third-Street.

MDCCLXXVI.

FAC-SIMILE TITLE-PAGE OF THE FIRST EDITION]

TO

RICHARD STOCKTON, _Esquire_;

MEMBER

OF THE HONOURABLE,

THE

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS,

for the State

of

NEW-JERSEY.

SIR,

I take the Freedom to Inscribe with YOUR Name, the following short
Performance in Honour of some brave MEN, who have fallen in the Cause of
LIBERTY.

It was at first drawn up for an Exercise in Oratory, to a number of
young Gentlemen in a southern Academy, but being now Published, may
serve the same Purpose, in other AMERICAN Seminaries.

The many Civilities, received from YOUR Family, at an earlier Period of
my Life, while a Student at NEW-JERSEY College, demand the warmest
Gratitude; and I do continually, with the most sincere Pleasure,
recollect and acknowledge them.

It is my fervent wish, that the Ruler of the Universe may Crown with
Success, the Cause of FREEDOM, and speedily relieve our bleeding Country
in whose Service YOU have distinguishedly exerted YOUR eminent
Abilities, by assisting HER Deliberations in the grand Council of the
Empire.

SIR,

I am,
With great Respect,
Your much obliged,
and most humble Servant,

THE AUTHOR.

PROLOGUE

to the

BATTLE

of

BUNKERS-HILL

_By a Lieutenant Colonel in the CONTINENTAL ARMY._

This mighty Era big with dread alarms,
Aloud calls each AMERICAN to arms.
Let ev'ry Breast with martial ardour glow,
Nor dread to meet the proud usurping foe.
What tho' our bodies feel an earthly chain,
Still the free soul, unblemish'd and serene
Enjoys a mental LIBERTY,--a charm,
Beyond the power of fate itself to harm.
Should vict'ry crown us in the doubtful strife--
Eternal honours mark the hero's life.
Should Wounds and slaughter be our hapless doom--
Unfading laurels deck the Martyr's Tomb:
A sure reward awaits his soul on high,
On earth his memory shall never die,
For when we read the fatal story o'er,
One tear shall drop for him who is--no more,
Who nobly struggled to support our laws,
And bravely fell in freedom's sacred cause.
Let