. Battles of the United States, by sea and land : embracing those of the revolutionary and Indian wars, the war of 1812, and the Mexican war : with important official documents. Colonel Prescottdirected his men to reserve their fireuntil the enemy was within twentyyards,^ when they poured upon them awell-directed volley;* but the enemy,without returning it, pressed forwardto the attack. Piescott immediatelyordered those who had bayonets toform in front, within the i-edoubt, tooppose those who attempted to enterit; while those who had none wereformed in the rear, with orders to fireon such as m
. Battles of the United States, by sea and land : embracing those of the revolutionary and Indian wars, the war of 1812, and the Mexican war : with important official documents. Colonel Prescottdirected his men to reserve their fireuntil the enemy was within twentyyards,^ when they poured upon them awell-directed volley;* but the enemy,without returning it, pressed forwardto the attack. Piescott immediatelyordered those who had bayonets toform in front, within the i-edoubt, tooppose those who attempted to enterit; while those who had none wereformed in the rear, with orders to fireon such as might show themselves onthe parapet.^* Clinton, at the head of the troopswho had ascended the southern slopeof the hill, first reached the redoubt; Burgoyne to Stanley, Document II. ; Bancroft, vii. — Burgoyne to Stanley, Document II.— Ibid. * Bancroft, vii. p. 428.— Ibid., p. 429.— Chester to Fish, July 22,1775; , pp. 147-149; Ban-croft, vii. p. 429.— Bancroft, vii. p. 429; Frothingham,p. 149.— Frothingham, p. 149.—• Bancroft, vii. p. 429;Frothingham, p. 149.—° Frothingham, p. 150; Irving, 480.— Bancroft, vii. p. Chap. V.] BATTLE OF BUNKERS HILL. 63 and many of his party were sliot wliileattempting to scale the parapet;* andMajor Pitcairn, of the marines,—^hewho fignred so conspicuously at Lex-ington,—fell mortally wounded as hewas entering the redoubt.^ But theammunition had been expended; ^ anda volley of stones, thrown with desper-ate energy, while it revealed the weak-ness of the colonists, filled the enemywith hope.* ITie works were speedilyscaled on every side,^ and the contestwas carried on hand to hand.^ With adetermination worthy of their cause,the colonists confronted their enemieswith the butt-end of their firelocks,dealing blows in every direction, andcontinuing the contest with the gun-barrels after the stocks had been1 iroken. Such a contest, however, could notbe long continued, and when the re-doubt h
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