The Battle of Bunker (or is it Breed’s) Hill
Meanwhile, back in Boston. The British— bulked up with fresh reinforcements, decided to undermine the American siege by taking the unoccupied hills surrounding the city. Capture and holding the high ground is the basic rule in any army ‘s playbook. When the Americans got word of this plan, every man was ordered to dig trenches and build earthen fortifications throughout the night. The Americans were supposed to occupy the larger Bunker Hill, but instead chose to make their stand at Breed’s Hill probably because it was so close to Boston that it served as an “in your face” to the British army. The next morning British awoke to find the Americans deeply entrenched at Breed’s Hill. 3,000 British regulars were sent to drive the Americans back and break the siege. Naval guns from warships in the harbor pounded the colonial position in an effort to soften up the Americans.

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The British were confident that their well-trained regulars could easily defeat “the American rabble” After all, the British troops were amongst the best trained in the world. The Americans were a bunch of unorganized farmers with muskets. The British planned to attack from four sides; General Howe’s plan was to defeat the rebels in one pitched battle. Game over. British Empire saved. Rebels crushed. Howe ordered his troops to march up Breed’s Hill, fully loaded with their 100 pound backpacks in the blazing June heat. The Americans waited until the British got within 50 yards and opened fire, mowing down the enemy who stupidly were in tight formation. The British regulars beat a quick retreat only to regroup and try again. The second attempt ended like the first. But the third, the third attempt did the job. Mostly thanks to the rebels running out of ammo. The British jumped over the walls of the fortifications and stabbed at the retreating colonists with their bayonets. The Brits won the battle, but on a technicality. Both sides claimed victory. The British flag flew over Bunker Hill but it cost them over 1,000 British troops compared to only 400 American casualties (dead and wounded).

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 In the winter of 1775 and early 1776, the newly appointed General George Washington camped outside of Boston just out of range of British guns on a position known as Dorchester Heights. There, the Americans continued their siege. General Howe, realizing that staying in Boston was hopeless, decided to pack up his troops and head for friendlier territory in New York. George Washington and his Continental Army decided to beat Howe to New York. A loss of that city would be a serious blow the Patriot cause. Washington did it too, thanks to a pit stop by Howe in Nova Scotia to drop off loyalist-refugees from Boston.

In March 1776, Boston was back in American hands. However, the war was just getting warmed up. The British called for an embargo on colonial shipping and now all American ports were closed. The British troops began mobilizing across the empire to converge on the rebellious colonies. To sweeten the deal, the British enlisted 30,000 German mercenary troops.