. On the south-east it was commanded by the
hills of another peninsula called Dorchester Neck. A battery on either
the Charlestown hills or the Dorchester heights would have rendered
Gage's position untenable; for, independently of any loss which his
troops might sustain from bombardment, the British shipping would be
drawn from its anchorage, and if he remained he would be practically
imprisoned in the town and cut off from supplies. It should therefore
have been Gage's first care to shut the insurgents out from those
positions.

Hitherto he had not attempted to occupy the hills on either side, but
after the arrival of the new generals it was decided to include them
within the lines. On June 13 the insurgents heard that the British were
about to occupy Dorchester heights. They determined to frustrate this
move by occupying the ridge stretching along the Charlestown peninsula,
and called by the general name of Bunker hill. Accordingly on the
evening of the 16th a detachment of 1,200 men, with six field-pieces,
was sent from Cambridge for that purpose. When they arrived at the
summit their leaders determined to advance farther and to fortify a
lower eminence of the ridge nearer Boston, which was distinguished by
the name of Breeds hill. There during the night they formed a redoubt
and breastwork. At daybreak on the 17th they were discovered from the
sloop _Lively_, and her guns roused the British army. Before long a
battery in Boston and the guns of other ships opened fire, but did
little mischief. The insurgents received a small reinforcement, and
formed a line of defence, protected by a low wall and rail, from their
redoubt northward to the Mystic, in order to secure themselves from a
flank attack. If Gage had placed a floating battery on the Mystic, which
would have taken them on the left flank, and had landed troops to the
rear of the redoubt, held the neck, and so cut them off from their main
body, he would have had them at his mercy. This would have been easy,
for by taking up a more advanced position than was laid down in their
orders, they left their rear exposed to attack. He decided, however, to
storm their works.

[Sidenote: _BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL._]

Not till midday did a detachment of British troops, grenadiers and light
infantry, begin to land on the peninsula under the command of Howe and
Pigot. They waited for reinforcements, which brought their number up to
over 2,000 men, with artillery. Hot as the w