So here we are, on Breed's Hill, looking at the scene where Warren fell, Dr. Joseph Warren, that vital patriot and professional man, a man of action and thought. Place. The same ground, the same space, walked by this man over two centuries ago. Here he fell, shot in the head, and bayoneted. A British officer found the body, waistcoat removed, but the fine shirt distinguishing the dead man.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Below is not Bunker Hill. It is Copp's Hill, where General John Burgoyne observed, and British cannons fired upon, the Americans on Breed's Hill. On New Year's Eve day I traveled up to Boston to traverse the ground, and was struck by the proximity. Sadly, at least by my efforts, I could not see the Bunker Hill monument from this spot, but aimed towards the bridge and Charlestown. If the building were not there, I'd have been able to look through Burgoyne's eyes.
The Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775) was an expensive victory for the British. This view gives a sense of place; more in later posts.