Bunker Hill: Living Memories

This article is part of the online feature "Bunker Hill Memory."

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On June 17, 1775, New England soldiers faced British armed forces in what became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. Though a British victory, the Battle came at a great cost. Of some 2,400 British Marines and soldiers who fought, the Battle left around 1,000 dead or wounded. The Colonial forces lost, but the Battle re-invigorated many colonists' support of the Revolution.

Today, the Battle of Bunker Hill is often glorified. Eyewitness accounts, on the other hand, tell of violence, death, and fear. The traditional narratives of the Battle of Bunker Hill are usually free of these more visceral details, making them more comfortable to hear.

The voices highlighted in this section explore the experiences of witnesses of the Battle of Bunker Hill. These individuals had complicated thoughts and feelings about their involvement in the Battle. These quotes also explore the ways in which different forces shaped the memory of the battle, even in its immediate aftermath.

As you explore these quotes, consider the perspectives represented. How do they confirm or challenge your understanding of the Battle of Bunker Hill?

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Lieutenant John Waller

• Living Memory: Lt. John Waller Quote

  
  

  Quote from "Letter from Lt. John Waller to an unidentified recipient, June 21, 1775."
  Audio Transcript

  I cannot pretend to describe the Horror of the Scene within the Redoubt when we enter'd it, 'twas… a sight too dreadful for me to dwell any longer on...

  Letter from Lt. John Waller to an unidentified recipient, June 21, 1775. Voiced by: Peter Abbott, the British Consul General to New England.

British Lieutenant John Waller served as a junior officer at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The battle had been raging for an hour when Waller and the British Marines departed Boston for the third (and final) assault on the colonial redoubt. The Marines marched over a path filled with obstacles of walls and fences. Meanwhile colonial forces fired upon them. The British units then charged up and over the redoubt with fixed bayonets. Waller recalled this experience in a letter on June 21, 1775.

Learn more about Lieutenant John Waller

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Peter Brown

• Living Memory: Peter Brown Quote

  
  

  Quote from "Letter from Peter Brown to Sarah Brown, June 25 1775."
  Audio Transcript

  ...if we should be call'd again to action I hope to have courage and strength to act my part valiently in defence of our Liberties & Country...

  Letter from Peter Brown to his mother, Sarah Brown, June 25, 1775. Voiced by: Patrick Boyce, National Park Service Ranger and Marine Corps Veteran.

Peter Brown, a New England farm laborer and patriot, fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill. In the days following the battle, he recounted his experience in a letter to his mother. He described the British artillery fire that fell upon the colonists, and he expressed gratitude for his life being spared in the conflict. He then reflected on whether he would be willing to face battle again for the colonists' cause.

Learn more about Peter Brown

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King Solomon's Lodge

• Living Memory: King Solomon's Lodge Quote

  
  

  Quote by John Soley Jr, from "Dedication of the King Solomon's Lodge monument, December 1794."
  Audio Transcript

  We, citizens of Columbia, not content with having raised a monument of gratitude in our hearts, would present one to the eye of future generations. Directed by these laudable motives, King Solomon's Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons have erected on Mount Warren the Pillar you behold.

  John Soley Jr, Dedication of the King Solomon's Lodge monument, December 1794

In 1794, King Solomon's Lodge dedicated the first monument on Bunker Hill to the memory of Dr. Joseph Warren. The Bunker Hill Monument eventually replaced this original monument. The work of King Solomon's Lodge demonstrates early efforts to memorialize the battle and the colonists who died in service.

Learn more about King Solomon's Lodge

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Faith Trumbull Huntington

• Living Memories: Faith Trumbull Huntington Quote

  
  

  Quote from John Trumbull, "Autobiography, Reminiscences and Letters of John Trumbull, from 1756 to 1841."
  Audio Transcript

  About noon of that day, I had a momentary interview with my favorite sister, the wife of Colonel, afterwards General Huntington, whose regiment was on its march to join the army. The novelty of military scenes excited great curiosity throughout the country, and my sister was one of a party of young friends who were attracted to visit the Army before Boston. She was a woman of deep and affectionate sensibility, and the moment of her visit was most unfortunate. She found herself surrounded, not by “the pomp and circumstances of glorious war,” but in the midst of all its horrible realities. She saw too clearly the life of danger and hardship upon which her husband and her favorite brother had entered, and it overcame her strong, but too sensitive mind. She became deranged, and died the following November at Dedham.

  John Trumbull, Autobiography, Reminiscences and Letters of John Trumbull, from 1756 to 1841.

Faith Trumbull Huntington witnessed the Battle of Bunker Hill from four miles away in Roxbury. The experience impacted her greatly and she fell into a severe depression. Months later, she committed suicide. Faith's story reminds us of the cost of war, even among civilians.

Learn more about Faith Trumbull Huntington

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