by Paul Wylie

Created on: November 11, 2008

The Trees Were Dripping Blood
Moving as silently as the ants crawling under them, the regiment crawled slowly up the hill. Tasked with denying the invading British from taking the peninsula of Charlestown across from Boston Harbor, the men of the American Continental Army took up positions on Breed's Hill, building fortifications amongst the trees that consisted of bales of hay and cotton.

Consisting of only about 1,500 men, the Americans faced down a formidable opposing force made up of five full British infantry and artillery regiments, as well as a company of British Royal Marines. Stealth was the name of the game here in order to get their fortifications in place, but unfortunately the Americans' activities were spied by a British General aboard the H.M.S. Lively, which immediately began to shell the American positions.

Fire rained down from the sky and bodies were torn asunder, but the American force stayed put and refused to give the ground up to the British. Fear gripped the men as they extended their scant cover to the sea and more men arrived on the hill behind the main American force, an incline known as Bunker Hill. Try as he might, the American commander could not convince the men on Bunker Hill to move forward to Breed's Hill in order to swell the ranks of the soldiers holding there.

British General Howe landed his forces on the southern shore of the peninsula, ignoring the advice of his field commanders, who wished to go around to the other side and land their army behind the American positions. Seriously over estimating the superiority of his position and under estimating the Americans fighting ability and determination.

Launching a frontal assault on Breed's Hill with his infantry, Howe was shocked at the casualties he incurred and sent the entire body of his forces against the Hill. Harrassed by American snipers inside the city of Charlestown, Howe had his ships in the harbor bombard the American positions and completely burned Charlestown to the ground. This murderous action was seen by the American soldiers on both hills, and when a senior commander escaped from the conflagration and rode up to General Prescott atop Breed's Hill, he was asked how many dead and wounded there were in the town. The commander replied that the trees themselves were dripping blood, body parts littered the thoroughfares, and that he was probably the only one left alive.

The main body of British troops moved in line formation up the steep side of Breed's Hill only to be

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