July 26, 2025 • 17 mins
Dive into the inspiring life story of George Washington, a man whose personal journey is intricately linked with the history of the nation he helped shape. This book offers not just a look into the American Revolutionary History but also an intimate portrayal of the Father of his Country. Carefully crafted to engage young readers, the book seeks to offer a clear and compelling picture of Washingtons exceptional character and invaluable contributions to the nation. Discover how he became an enduring symbol of American values and leadership in a story that unfolds within a childs comprehension.
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Chapter eight, The Life of George Washington in Words of
One Syllable by Josephine Pollard. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
Life of George Washington in Words of One syllable by
(00:20):
Josephine Pollard, Chapter eight, the Battle of Bunker Hill. In
the year seventeen seventy five, war was rife in New England.
The King's laws were felt to be more for slaves
than for freemen, and all made up their minds to
throw off the yoke. They could not bear the sight
of the Redcoats, and the King's troops were just as
fierce in their hate of our men. Ships of war
(00:43):
brought a large force of troops to New England, led
by men of rank and fame. They filled the streets
of Boston, and it was thought that they might bring
the Americans to terms and not a drop of blood
be shed. But this was not to be a large
force of our men were in camp on the hills
and fields near Boston, the sight of whom might well
cause the well clad British to smile. They had left
(01:06):
their farms in great haste at the cry of arms,
had seized their guns, and come in homespun clothes it
was their pride to wear. Those from Massachusetts were led
by General Artemis Ward, those from New Hampshire by Colonel
John Stark, those from Rhode Island by General Nathaniel Greene,
and those from Connecticut by General Israel Putnam. All brave
(01:30):
and true men and full of fight. But the troops
had need to be well armed. And all the guns
and such things as there was need of in times
of war were in Boston, where the Red Coats were
on guard. But those sharp eyes were on the watch.
Sly deeds were done by those who knew the ways
in and out of each storehouse. Carts went out of town,
(01:51):
heaped high with dirt in which guns and balls were hid,
and all sorts of tricks were used to get such
things past the Red Coats. At length. That came to
the ears of General Gage that some field guns were
at Salem, and he sent troops to seize them. But
when they reached Salem they found no guns there. The
word came to General Gage that there was a large
(02:12):
stock of arms and war stores at Conquered, which was
less than a score of miles from Boston. In the
night of April eighteenth, the Red Coats set out for Conquered.
General Gage had said that no one but the troops
should leave the town. But the news was born to Lexington,
a town on the road to Conquered by those who
(02:32):
were as swift as the hare and sly as the fox.
The folks there met in groups with hearts on fire,
bells were rung, and guns were fired. Men who heard
these sounds ran as fast as they could to Lexington
to hold the bridge and keep back the foe. At
five o'clock on the morn of April nineteenth, the Red
Coats came in sight, and at once three score and
(02:54):
ten men stood out on the green near the wall
to meet them. Major Pitcarn, who was at the head
of the King's troops, called out to these brave men
to lay down their arms and leave the place, but
they paid no heed to his words. Then he sprang
from the ranks, shut off a small gun, swung his
sword in the air, and told his men to fire.
The troops ran up with loud cheers and poured a
(03:16):
storm of shot on our men, some of whom were killed.
Then they pushed on to conquered and did all the
harm they could at that place. Spiked guns, threw pounds
and pounds of shot down the wells, and spoiled a
large lot of the flower and food that had been
stored for use in time of need. When the King's
troops turned back to Lexington, they were quite worn out
(03:37):
with what they had done, and would have been cut
down by our men if Gage had not sent a
force to their aid. For the Blue Coats had flown
to arms and poured into Lexington by all the roads
that led there to The Red Coats might laugh at
their clothes and the way in which they tried to
keep step, but they found out that they knew how
to use guns, and that each man was a dead shot.
(04:00):
Rsh troops gaged sent up from Boston, had to form
a square so that the worn out men, who had
had a long march and hard work might have a
chance to rest. Then they all set out to march
back to Boston, with two field guns in the rear
to keep off the flock of Yankees who dogged their
steps and kept up a fire in front and rear,
and from each stone wall and hedge that lined the road.
(04:23):
There was loss on both sides. But what hurt the
King's troops the most was to be put to flight
by such a lot of scarecrows as they thought our
troops were. A close watch was kept on Boston by
our men, who were soon in such force that it
would not have been safe for the Red Coats to
try to leave the town. The King's troops did not
like to be shut in in this way, and lost
(04:44):
no chance to mock at and taunt those who kept
them at bay. On the north side of Boston lay
a long strip of land from the heights, of which
one could see the town and all the ships at
or near the wharves. Putnam thought it would be a
good plan to seize these heights and place troops there,
but Ward and Warner thought it was not safe to
risk it. It might bring on a fierce fight and
(05:06):
cause much blood to be shed. Putnam had no fear
of his own men. He knew how brave they were,
and how well they could fight back of a screen.
They had no fear of their heads, he said. Their
chief thought is their legs shield them, and they'll fight
on till doomsday. Two or three of those who had
led troops in the French War were of the same
(05:28):
mind as Putnam, and their words had waked. The chief
man was Colonel Prescott, who was just the style of
man in port and in dress that a lot of
raw troops would look up to. He wore a fine hat,
a top wig, and a blue coat, faced and lapped
up at the skirts. He it was whom General Ward
(05:48):
chose to lead the troops which were to seize the heights,
build the earthworks there, and guard them from the foe.
They were twelve hundred in all, and they set out
on the night of June sixteenth, seventeen seventy five. Not
a light was shone, not a sound was heard, but
the tramp, tramp, tramp of these men on their way
to face death. A small neck of land joined Charleston
(06:10):
to the mainland, and as they drew near this, the
troops hushed their steps and moved with great care. For
on this the Red Coats kept a close watch. Five
of their ships of war stood so that their guns
would sweep this neck of land, and earthworks were on
CoP's Hill, which faced Charleston on The Blue Coats went
past the guards, past the guns, past the neck, and
(06:31):
up to the heights of Bunker's Hill. Here they were
to make their stand. But it was found that Brede's Hill,
which was half a mile off, was not quite so
steep and would give them more of a chance at
the Red Coats, while Bunker's Hill would shield them in
the rear. Putnam thought Brede's Hill was the right place,
and was in haste from the work to go on.
There was no time to lose, so pick and spade
(06:53):
were brought out, and the earth dug out so as
to serve as a wall to screen them from the
fire of the foe. The night was warm and still
now and then Prescott would steal down to the edge
of the stream to see and hear if the Red
Coats had made a stir. There was not a sound
save the cry of All's well, all'swell, from the watchmen
on guard in the town and on the ships of war.
(07:16):
All night. The work on the heights went on. At
dawn of day, the men there were seen by the
seamen on the ships of war, and at once their
guns were brought up and turned on the hill. Their
shot did not harm the works, but one man who
went outside was killed, and this threw the rest into
a great fright. They were not used to scenes of war,
(07:38):
and the sight of a man shot down in their
midst was more than their nerves could stand. Some took
to their heels at once and did not come back.
And had Prescott not been a brave man himself, he
could not have held his troops as he did. He
stood up on top of the earthworks, in full view
of the Red Coats, and talked with his men, and
(07:58):
his words of cheer but new strength in their hearts,
so that they were in less dread of the balls
that whizzed near them. The noise of the guns roused
the Red Coats in Boston, and General Gage gazed at
Breed's Hill like one in a dream. A fort full
of men had sprung up in the night. How had
it been done? What kind of men were these he
(08:20):
had to meet? As he stood on CoP's Hill and
looked through his field glass, he spied the tall form
of Prescott in his blue coat on the wall of
the fort. Will he fight? Asked Gage? Yes, sir, said
one who stood near and who knew Prescott. He will
fight to the last drop of blood. But I can't
say as much for his men. We must seize the works,
(08:41):
cried Gage, and at once called up his chiefs for
a talk and to plan the best way to do
this deed. The noise in the streets of Boston, the
roll of the drum, the sound of the trump that
calls to war, the sharp clicks of hoofs, and the
deep roll of wheels that bore the field guns were
heard on the heights and let the troops there to
(09:02):
know the war was at hand. The men were worn
out with their hard task and their loss of sleep.
They had not brought much food with them, and their
thirst was great. The heat made them feel weak and dull.
There was need of more men, and a lot of
raw New Hampshire troops, led by Colonel Stark, came to
their aid. In the meantime, those on the height had
(09:23):
to bear the fire of the guns from the ships
and from CoP's Hill, which broke on them. At ten
o'clock at noon, the Blue Coats saw more than a
score of boats full of troops cross from Boston in
straight lines. The sun shone on their red coats and
flashed from the tips of the guns they bore, and
from the brass field guns that stood on the deck.
(09:44):
It was a gay scene. They made their way to
a point north of Breed's Hill, where General Howe, who
led them, could see the full strength of the Blue Coats.
They had more troops than he thought, and he caught
sight of fresh ones on their way to Breed's Hill.
How At us sent to gauge for more troops and
more balls for the field guns, and as it would
(10:05):
take some time for them to be sent round, the
Red Coats in the meantime were served with food and drink.
The grog was passed round in pails, and the men
sat round on the grass and ate and drank their fill,
while the poor men on the heights looked down and
longed to share their feast. But while the Red Coats
took their ease, the Blue Coats had a chance to
add to the strength of their fort and to push
(10:26):
out the breastworks to a point known as the Slow
Near This was a pass where the foe might turn
the left flank of the troops or seize Bunker's Hill.
Putnam chose one of his men, a Captain Knowlton, to
hold this pass with his Connecticut troops. He at once
set to work to build a sort of fort back
of which his men could fight with more ease than
(10:48):
if they stood out in the field. Not a long
way off was the post and rail fence set in
a low foot wall of stone, and this fence ran
down to the Mystic River. The posts and the rails
of the fence near this were torn up in haste
and set a few feet at the rear of it,
and the space TwixT the two was filled with new
(11:09):
mown hay brought from the fields near at hand. While
Knowleton and his men were at work on the fence,
Putnam and his troops threw up the work on Bunker's Hill.
In the meantime, Stark had set out from Medford on
a six mile march. He was a cool, calm man
and had been through the French War of which I
have told you. He led his men at a slow pace,
(11:31):
so that they would be fresh and strong to take
part in the fight. As they came up to the
neck which they had to cross, and which was lined
with guns on both sides, one of the aides urged
him to let the men take a quick step. The
old man shook his head and said, one fresh man
in a fight is worth ten tired ones, and kept
on at the same pace, and did good work that day.
(11:53):
Back of the post and rail screen, Warren, who had
been made a major general, came to serve in the ranks.
Putnam said he might lead the troops at the fence.
He said he did not care to lead. He was
there to fight. Where will the fire be the hottest,
he asked. He was told that the fort on Breed's
Hill was the point the foe sought to gain. If
(12:14):
we can hold that, said Putnam, the day is ours.
Warren at once made his way there, and the troops
gave a round of cheers when he stepped into the fort. Prescott,
who was not so high in rank, sought to have
Warren take charge of the troops, but he would not.
I have come to serve in the ranks, he said,
and shall be glad to learn from one so well
(12:35):
skilled as yourself. The Red Coats thought to take the
works with ease and win the day. General Pigot, with
a left wing, was to mount the hill and seize
the earthworks, while General Howe came up with the right
wing to turn the left flank of our men and
stop all flight at the rear. Piggot and his men
came up to the height, and not a gun was
(12:55):
fired by our troops till the Red Coats were in range. Then,
as they were all all good marksmen, each shot told,
and some of the best men fell at the first fire.
The foe fell back in haste, but were brought up
once more by those who stood at their head with
drawn swords. They were met by a fire more fierce
than the first, and vexed by guns that bore on
(13:17):
their flank from the band of men in Charleston. So
much blood had been shed, and the men were in
such a state of fright that Piggott was forced to
give the word to fall back. We will now see
what sort of luck General Howe had. He led his
troops up the bank of the stream and thought to
take the slight breastwork with ease, and so get in
the rear of the fort. But he did not know
(13:39):
the ground and could not bring his large guns through
the swamp he met with in the pause. Some of
his men were hurt and some killed by the guns
that were set by the post and rail fence. How's
men kept up a fire as they came on, but
as they did not take good aim. The balls flew
or the heads of our troops, who had been told
(13:59):
to hold their fire till the Red Coats were quite near.
Some few did not do as they were told, and
Putnam rode up and swore he would cut down the
next man that fired, ere he had the word to
do so. When the Red Coats were in the right range,
such a storm of lead poured on them from guns
in the hands of men who did not miss a mark,
that the place was like a field of blood. Such
(14:22):
a host were slain that the Red Coats lost heart
and fell back in great haste. Some of them ran
back as far as the boats and got on board
of them, that they might be safe from the fire
of the marksmen. Once more, the Red Coats charged the fort,
which it was their aim to get into their own hands.
In the meantime, the shells from CoP's Hill and the
(14:43):
ships of war had shut Charleston on fire. The town
was built of wood and was soon a mass of flames.
The dense smoke put out the light of the sun
on all sides was heard the din of war. The
big guns kept up their great roar. Bomb shells burst
in the air, the sharp hiss of the small balls,
and the shouts and yells of the men, made a
scene to strike the heart with awe. Our men stood
(15:06):
firm and with the eyes fixed on the foe, who,
as soon as they were close at hand, were shot
down by the guns whose aim was so sure. The
Red Coats stood the first shock and then kept on,
but they were met by such a stream of fire
that they were soon brought to a halt. In vain
did the men who led them urge them on with
(15:26):
drawn swords. Whole ranks were mowed down, Some of General
Howe's staff were slain, and the troops, wild with fear,
broke ranks and fled down the hill. For a third time,
General Howe brought up his men, some of whom threw
off their knapsacks and some their coats, that they may
not be weighed down by them. The Red Coats made
(15:46):
a faint as if they would take the fort at
the fence, and did much harm there to our men.
While some of his troops were at work at the point,
how brought the rest of his force to the front
and rear of the main fort, which was then stormed
on three sides at once. Prescott told some of his
men to stand at the back part of the fort
and fire at the Red Coats that showed themselves on
(16:07):
the wall. Soon one leaped up and cried, the day
is ours, and was shot down at once, as were
all those who had joined him. But our men had
fired their last round, and there was not for them
to do but meet the foe in a hand to
hand fight. With stones and the butt ends of their guns,
they sought to drive back the Red Coats, but the
(16:27):
tide was too strong for them, and they had to
give way. Warren, who had done brave work that day,
was the last to leave the fort. He scarce had
done so ere he was struck by a ball and
fell dead on the spot. As our troops fled by
way of Bunker Hill. Putnam ran to the rear and cried, halt,
make us stand here. We can check them yet in
(16:49):
God's name form and give them one shot more. But
the troops could not be brought to a stand, and
the Red Coats won the day, but with laws of
more than half their men, and it hurt their pride
to think that had cost them so dear to take
these earthworks that had been thrown up in one night
by a mere handful of raw troops. Their loss was
(17:09):
one thousand, fifty four. Our loss was four hundred and
fifty end of Chapter eight.
Chapter eight, The Life of George Washington in Words of
One Syllable by Josephine Pollard. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
Life of George Washington in Words of One syllable by
(00:20):
Josephine Pollard, Chapter eight, the Battle of Bunker Hill. In
the year seventeen seventy five, war was rife in New England.
The King's laws were felt to be more for slaves
than for freemen, and all made up their minds to
throw off the yoke. They could not bear the sight
of the Redcoats, and the King's troops were just as
fierce in their hate of our men. Ships of war
(00:43):
brought a large force of troops to New England, led
by men of rank and fame. They filled the streets
of Boston, and it was thought that they might bring
the Americans to terms and not a drop of blood
be shed. But this was not to be a large
force of our men were in camp on the hills
and fields near Boston, the sight of whom might well
cause the well clad British to smile. They had left
(01:06):
their farms in great haste at the cry of arms,
had seized their guns, and come in homespun clothes it
was their pride to wear. Those from Massachusetts were led
by General Artemis Ward, those from New Hampshire by Colonel
John Stark, those from Rhode Island by General Nathaniel Greene,
and those from Connecticut by General Israel Putnam. All brave
(01:30):
and true men and full of fight. But the troops
had need to be well armed. And all the guns
and such things as there was need of in times
of war were in Boston, where the Red Coats were
on guard. But those sharp eyes were on the watch.
Sly deeds were done by those who knew the ways
in and out of each storehouse. Carts went out of town,
(01:51):
heaped high with dirt in which guns and balls were hid,
and all sorts of tricks were used to get such
things past the Red Coats. At length. That came to
the ears of General Gage that some field guns were
at Salem, and he sent troops to seize them. But
when they reached Salem they found no guns there. The
word came to General Gage that there was a large
(02:12):
stock of arms and war stores at Conquered, which was
less than a score of miles from Boston. In the
night of April eighteenth, the Red Coats set out for Conquered.
General Gage had said that no one but the troops
should leave the town. But the news was born to Lexington,
a town on the road to Conquered by those who
(02:32):
were as swift as the hare and sly as the fox.
The folks there met in groups with hearts on fire,
bells were rung, and guns were fired. Men who heard
these sounds ran as fast as they could to Lexington
to hold the bridge and keep back the foe. At
five o'clock on the morn of April nineteenth, the Red
Coats came in sight, and at once three score and
(02:54):
ten men stood out on the green near the wall
to meet them. Major Pitcarn, who was at the head
of the King's troops, called out to these brave men
to lay down their arms and leave the place, but
they paid no heed to his words. Then he sprang
from the ranks, shut off a small gun, swung his
sword in the air, and told his men to fire.
The troops ran up with loud cheers and poured a
(03:16):
storm of shot on our men, some of whom were killed.
Then they pushed on to conquered and did all the
harm they could at that place. Spiked guns, threw pounds
and pounds of shot down the wells, and spoiled a
large lot of the flower and food that had been
stored for use in time of need. When the King's
troops turned back to Lexington, they were quite worn out
(03:37):
with what they had done, and would have been cut
down by our men if Gage had not sent a
force to their aid. For the Blue Coats had flown
to arms and poured into Lexington by all the roads
that led there to The Red Coats might laugh at
their clothes and the way in which they tried to
keep step, but they found out that they knew how
to use guns, and that each man was a dead shot.
(04:00):
Rsh troops gaged sent up from Boston, had to form
a square so that the worn out men, who had
had a long march and hard work might have a
chance to rest. Then they all set out to march
back to Boston, with two field guns in the rear
to keep off the flock of Yankees who dogged their
steps and kept up a fire in front and rear,
and from each stone wall and hedge that lined the road.
(04:23):
There was loss on both sides. But what hurt the
King's troops the most was to be put to flight
by such a lot of scarecrows as they thought our
troops were. A close watch was kept on Boston by
our men, who were soon in such force that it
would not have been safe for the Red Coats to
try to leave the town. The King's troops did not
like to be shut in in this way, and lost
(04:44):
no chance to mock at and taunt those who kept
them at bay. On the north side of Boston lay
a long strip of land from the heights, of which
one could see the town and all the ships at
or near the wharves. Putnam thought it would be a
good plan to seize these heights and place troops there,
but Ward and Warner thought it was not safe to
risk it. It might bring on a fierce fight and
(05:06):
cause much blood to be shed. Putnam had no fear
of his own men. He knew how brave they were,
and how well they could fight back of a screen.
They had no fear of their heads, he said. Their
chief thought is their legs shield them, and they'll fight
on till doomsday. Two or three of those who had
led troops in the French War were of the same
(05:28):
mind as Putnam, and their words had waked. The chief
man was Colonel Prescott, who was just the style of
man in port and in dress that a lot of
raw troops would look up to. He wore a fine hat,
a top wig, and a blue coat, faced and lapped
up at the skirts. He it was whom General Ward
(05:48):
chose to lead the troops which were to seize the heights,
build the earthworks there, and guard them from the foe.
They were twelve hundred in all, and they set out
on the night of June sixteenth, seventeen seventy five. Not
a light was shone, not a sound was heard, but
the tramp, tramp, tramp of these men on their way
to face death. A small neck of land joined Charleston
(06:10):
to the mainland, and as they drew near this, the
troops hushed their steps and moved with great care. For
on this the Red Coats kept a close watch. Five
of their ships of war stood so that their guns
would sweep this neck of land, and earthworks were on
CoP's Hill, which faced Charleston on The Blue Coats went
past the guards, past the guns, past the neck, and
(06:31):
up to the heights of Bunker's Hill. Here they were
to make their stand. But it was found that Brede's Hill,
which was half a mile off, was not quite so
steep and would give them more of a chance at
the Red Coats, while Bunker's Hill would shield them in
the rear. Putnam thought Brede's Hill was the right place,
and was in haste from the work to go on.
There was no time to lose, so pick and spade
(06:53):
were brought out, and the earth dug out so as
to serve as a wall to screen them from the
fire of the foe. The night was warm and still
now and then Prescott would steal down to the edge
of the stream to see and hear if the Red
Coats had made a stir. There was not a sound
save the cry of All's well, all'swell, from the watchmen
on guard in the town and on the ships of war.
(07:16):
All night. The work on the heights went on. At
dawn of day, the men there were seen by the
seamen on the ships of war, and at once their
guns were brought up and turned on the hill. Their
shot did not harm the works, but one man who
went outside was killed, and this threw the rest into
a great fright. They were not used to scenes of war,
(07:38):
and the sight of a man shot down in their
midst was more than their nerves could stand. Some took
to their heels at once and did not come back.
And had Prescott not been a brave man himself, he
could not have held his troops as he did. He
stood up on top of the earthworks, in full view
of the Red Coats, and talked with his men, and
(07:58):
his words of cheer but new strength in their hearts,
so that they were in less dread of the balls
that whizzed near them. The noise of the guns roused
the Red Coats in Boston, and General Gage gazed at
Breed's Hill like one in a dream. A fort full
of men had sprung up in the night. How had
it been done? What kind of men were these he
(08:20):
had to meet? As he stood on CoP's Hill and
looked through his field glass, he spied the tall form
of Prescott in his blue coat on the wall of
the fort. Will he fight? Asked Gage? Yes, sir, said
one who stood near and who knew Prescott. He will
fight to the last drop of blood. But I can't
say as much for his men. We must seize the works,
(08:41):
cried Gage, and at once called up his chiefs for
a talk and to plan the best way to do
this deed. The noise in the streets of Boston, the
roll of the drum, the sound of the trump that
calls to war, the sharp clicks of hoofs, and the
deep roll of wheels that bore the field guns were
heard on the heights and let the troops there to
(09:02):
know the war was at hand. The men were worn
out with their hard task and their loss of sleep.
They had not brought much food with them, and their
thirst was great. The heat made them feel weak and dull.
There was need of more men, and a lot of
raw New Hampshire troops, led by Colonel Stark, came to
their aid. In the meantime, those on the height had
(09:23):
to bear the fire of the guns from the ships
and from CoP's Hill, which broke on them. At ten
o'clock at noon, the Blue Coats saw more than a
score of boats full of troops cross from Boston in
straight lines. The sun shone on their red coats and
flashed from the tips of the guns they bore, and
from the brass field guns that stood on the deck.
(09:44):
It was a gay scene. They made their way to
a point north of Breed's Hill, where General Howe, who
led them, could see the full strength of the Blue Coats.
They had more troops than he thought, and he caught
sight of fresh ones on their way to Breed's Hill.
How At us sent to gauge for more troops and
more balls for the field guns, and as it would
(10:05):
take some time for them to be sent round, the
Red Coats in the meantime were served with food and drink.
The grog was passed round in pails, and the men
sat round on the grass and ate and drank their fill,
while the poor men on the heights looked down and
longed to share their feast. But while the Red Coats
took their ease, the Blue Coats had a chance to
add to the strength of their fort and to push
(10:26):
out the breastworks to a point known as the Slow
Near This was a pass where the foe might turn
the left flank of the troops or seize Bunker's Hill.
Putnam chose one of his men, a Captain Knowlton, to
hold this pass with his Connecticut troops. He at once
set to work to build a sort of fort back
of which his men could fight with more ease than
(10:48):
if they stood out in the field. Not a long
way off was the post and rail fence set in
a low foot wall of stone, and this fence ran
down to the Mystic River. The posts and the rails
of the fence near this were torn up in haste
and set a few feet at the rear of it,
and the space TwixT the two was filled with new
(11:09):
mown hay brought from the fields near at hand. While
Knowleton and his men were at work on the fence,
Putnam and his troops threw up the work on Bunker's Hill.
In the meantime, Stark had set out from Medford on
a six mile march. He was a cool, calm man
and had been through the French War of which I
have told you. He led his men at a slow pace,
(11:31):
so that they would be fresh and strong to take
part in the fight. As they came up to the
neck which they had to cross, and which was lined
with guns on both sides, one of the aides urged
him to let the men take a quick step. The
old man shook his head and said, one fresh man
in a fight is worth ten tired ones, and kept
on at the same pace, and did good work that day.
(11:53):
Back of the post and rail screen, Warren, who had
been made a major general, came to serve in the ranks.
Putnam said he might lead the troops at the fence.
He said he did not care to lead. He was
there to fight. Where will the fire be the hottest,
he asked. He was told that the fort on Breed's
Hill was the point the foe sought to gain. If
(12:14):
we can hold that, said Putnam, the day is ours.
Warren at once made his way there, and the troops
gave a round of cheers when he stepped into the fort. Prescott,
who was not so high in rank, sought to have
Warren take charge of the troops, but he would not.
I have come to serve in the ranks, he said,
and shall be glad to learn from one so well
(12:35):
skilled as yourself. The Red Coats thought to take the
works with ease and win the day. General Pigot, with
a left wing, was to mount the hill and seize
the earthworks, while General Howe came up with the right
wing to turn the left flank of our men and
stop all flight at the rear. Piggot and his men
came up to the height, and not a gun was
(12:55):
fired by our troops till the Red Coats were in range. Then,
as they were all all good marksmen, each shot told,
and some of the best men fell at the first fire.
The foe fell back in haste, but were brought up
once more by those who stood at their head with
drawn swords. They were met by a fire more fierce
than the first, and vexed by guns that bore on
(13:17):
their flank from the band of men in Charleston. So
much blood had been shed, and the men were in
such a state of fright that Piggott was forced to
give the word to fall back. We will now see
what sort of luck General Howe had. He led his
troops up the bank of the stream and thought to
take the slight breastwork with ease, and so get in
the rear of the fort. But he did not know
(13:39):
the ground and could not bring his large guns through
the swamp he met with in the pause. Some of
his men were hurt and some killed by the guns
that were set by the post and rail fence. How's
men kept up a fire as they came on, but
as they did not take good aim. The balls flew
or the heads of our troops, who had been told
(13:59):
to hold their fire till the Red Coats were quite near.
Some few did not do as they were told, and
Putnam rode up and swore he would cut down the
next man that fired, ere he had the word to
do so. When the Red Coats were in the right range,
such a storm of lead poured on them from guns
in the hands of men who did not miss a mark,
that the place was like a field of blood. Such
(14:22):
a host were slain that the Red Coats lost heart
and fell back in great haste. Some of them ran
back as far as the boats and got on board
of them, that they might be safe from the fire
of the marksmen. Once more, the Red Coats charged the fort,
which it was their aim to get into their own hands.
In the meantime, the shells from CoP's Hill and the
(14:43):
ships of war had shut Charleston on fire. The town
was built of wood and was soon a mass of flames.
The dense smoke put out the light of the sun
on all sides was heard the din of war. The
big guns kept up their great roar. Bomb shells burst
in the air, the sharp hiss of the small balls,
and the shouts and yells of the men, made a
scene to strike the heart with awe. Our men stood
(15:06):
firm and with the eyes fixed on the foe, who,
as soon as they were close at hand, were shot
down by the guns whose aim was so sure. The
Red Coats stood the first shock and then kept on,
but they were met by such a stream of fire
that they were soon brought to a halt. In vain
did the men who led them urge them on with
(15:26):
drawn swords. Whole ranks were mowed down, Some of General
Howe's staff were slain, and the troops, wild with fear,
broke ranks and fled down the hill. For a third time,
General Howe brought up his men, some of whom threw
off their knapsacks and some their coats, that they may
not be weighed down by them. The Red Coats made
(15:46):
a faint as if they would take the fort at
the fence, and did much harm there to our men.
While some of his troops were at work at the point,
how brought the rest of his force to the front
and rear of the main fort, which was then stormed
on three sides at once. Prescott told some of his
men to stand at the back part of the fort
and fire at the Red Coats that showed themselves on
(16:07):
the wall. Soon one leaped up and cried, the day
is ours, and was shot down at once, as were
all those who had joined him. But our men had
fired their last round, and there was not for them
to do but meet the foe in a hand to
hand fight. With stones and the butt ends of their guns,
they sought to drive back the Red Coats, but the
(16:27):
tide was too strong for them, and they had to
give way. Warren, who had done brave work that day,
was the last to leave the fort. He scarce had
done so ere he was struck by a ball and
fell dead on the spot. As our troops fled by
way of Bunker Hill. Putnam ran to the rear and cried, halt,
make us stand here. We can check them yet in
(16:49):
God's name form and give them one shot more. But
the troops could not be brought to a stand, and
the Red Coats won the day, but with laws of
more than half their men, and it hurt their pride
to think that had cost them so dear to take
these earthworks that had been thrown up in one night
by a mere handful of raw troops. Their loss was
(17:09):
one thousand, fifty four. Our loss was four hundred and
fifty end of Chapter eight.
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