. A history of the United States of America, on a plan adapted to the capacity of youth .. . nonade upon it fromseveral ships and floating batteries, and from a fortification onCopps Hill, in Boston, which was continued until Americans, however, urged on their defences, and, duringthe forenoon, lost but a single man. Between twelve and oneoclock, three thousand British* under command of Major-gene-ral Howe and Brigadier-general Pigot, crossed Charles river,with an intention to dislodge the Americans. As they advanced,the British commenced firing at some distance from the redoubt;
. A history of the United States of America, on a plan adapted to the capacity of youth .. . nonade upon it fromseveral ships and floating batteries, and from a fortification onCopps Hill, in Boston, which was continued until Americans, however, urged on their defences, and, duringthe forenoon, lost but a single man. Between twelve and oneoclock, three thousand British* under command of Major-gene-ral Howe and Brigadier-general Pigot, crossed Charles river,with an intention to dislodge the Americans. As they advanced,the British commenced firing at some distance from the redoubt; BATTLE OF BUNKERS HILL. 163 but the Americans reserved their fire until the enemy weiewithin twelve rods. They then opened, and the carnage wasterrible. The British retreated in precipitate confusion, butwere rallied, and again led to the attack. The Americans nowBuffered them to approach within six rods, when their fire mowedthem down in heaps, and again they fled. 6. Unfortunately for the Americans, their ammunition nowfailed; and, on the third charge of the British, they were obliged. to retire. The British lost in this engagement two hundred andtwenty-six killed, — among whom was Major Pitcairn, who firstlighted the torch of war at Lexington, — and eight hundred andtwenty-eight wounded. The Americans lost one hundred andthirty-nine killed, and of wounded and missing there were threehundred and fourteen. Among the killed was the lamentedGeneral Warren. 7. The horrors of the scene were greatly increased by theconflagration of Charlestown, effected, during the heat of the bat-tle, by order of General Gage. By this wanton act of barbarity,two thousand people were deprived of their habitations, and prop-erty to the amount of one hundred and twenty thousand poundsSterling perished in the flames. Wanton, however, as the burn-ing was, it wonderfully enhanced the dreadful magnificence ofthe day. To the volleys of musketry and the roar of cannon, —to the shouts of the fighting
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