Video: 'The Revolution: Battle at Bunker Hill Escalates the War (S1, E2) | Full Episode'

(Wednesday, June 14, 1775; during the American Revolutionary War, part of the American Revolution) — British forces captured the Charlestown Peninsula today in one of the bloodiest engagements of the American Revolutionary War to date, suffering heavy casualties while seizing fortified colonial positions during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Although the battle takes its name from Bunker Hill, most of the fighting took place on nearby Breed’s Hill. Colonial leaders had learned days earlier that British troops planned to occupy the surrounding heights to control Boston Harbor.

In response, about 1,200 colonial troops under Col. William Prescott moved onto the peninsula under cover of night on June 16, hastily constructing fortifications atop Breed’s Hill.

British troops launched their assault the next day after spotting the new defenses. Two waves of attacks were driven back by the entrenched militia, inflicting significant British losses. On the third attempt, British troops breached the redoubt after the colonists ran out of ammunition, forcing a retreat over Bunker Hill.

Though the British secured a tactical victory, it came at a steep cost: more than 1,000 casualties, including a large number of officers. American losses were far fewer but included key figures such as Dr. Joseph Warren and Maj. Andrew McClary.

The battle marked a turning point in British military strategy. Shaken by the ferocity of the colonial defense, British commanders adopted a more cautious approach in future campaigns, including those in New York and New Jersey.

The defeat also prompted the British to enlist thousands of Hessian mercenaries to strengthen their ranks against the increasingly organized Continental Army.

Despite losing ground, the Americans saw the battle as a symbolic victory that proved militia forces could stand up to professional British troops in open combat.