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First attack

Reconnaissance units on the British Royal Navy ship, HMS Lively, spotted a new fortification being erected by the Americans. In order to defend themselves and the advancing British Troops, the Captain of HMS Lively ordered his ship to fire at the fortification.

Admiral Graves, who was on the nearby ship, HMS Somerset, was woken by the cannon fire and ordered HMS Lively to stand down, since he had not given any orders to ship Captains to fire.

However once Admiral Graves was aware of why HMS Lively started to fire, he ordered both HMS Lively and HMS Somerset to take out the fortifications.

Although the actions did slow down the erection of the American fortifications, it didn't stop the fortifications completely, because it was physically impossible to drop the cannons low enough to be able to get the whole fortification within range.

Second attack

The British Royal Navy fired upon American positions to weaken their defences and numbers. Making the job easier for advancing British troops.

Third attack The British Royal Navy fired incendiary shots and smoke shells at the hills and nearby village, burning the village to the ground in the process, because Admiral Graves received intelligence that there were American snipers in the surrounding area and village shooting at British troops.

Overall, with the Royal Navy opening fire on American positions, a lot of pressure was taken off the British Troops on the ground.

Without the navy, the British would have suffered far more losses.

Firing at land targets from the sea has been a very successful proven tactic, used for thousands of years by many civilisations, from Ancient China, Ancient Greece to the Second World War. A navy is extremely crucial for clearing enemy defences along beaches and major landing points, allowing invading troops to advance effectively. The most notable use of this navy tactic is the D-Day landings.

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How did the geography effect the Battle of Bunker Hill?

The battle of bunker hill took place on breeders hill (they went to it during the night so they THOUGHT it was bunker hill but it really was breeders) This hill overlooks the Boston harbor so that the colonist could watch the british making sure they wouldn't attack. When the news came that the british would attack the colonist quickly dug in he earth creating a fort to protect themselves. It is unclear who one but the most suffered was the british. hope that helps! (:


Did Jhon Adams led the colonists in the Battle of Bunker Hill?

No, John Adams was one of the sons of liberty. William Prescott led the colonists in the Battle of Bunker Hill. they retreated after the third attack, leaving the British to claim victory of the hill.


Who won the Battle of Bladensburg?

The British won the Battle of Bladensburg, the development left Washington vulnerable to attack


How many British were captured in the Battle of Bunker Hill?

Three times; the first assault by the British Army came from the Mystic River beach but the colonists shot and repelled the advance. The second attack was meant to be at the front of the redoubt but climbing up the hill ended up being a mistake and once again, the British were held back. The third advance was mounted against the redoubt and breastworks and hand to hand combat took place, eventually causing the colonists to flee.


What is a effect from the Battle of Bunker Hill?

Following the Boston Tea Party, the British closed the Port of Boston. Ships would dock across the river in Charleston, Massachusetts. Some time after the British defeat at Concord on April 19, 1775, the British decided to get even with the Americans. They sent a force across the river and burned Charleston. As soon as smoke arose, American militia assembled and counter attacked. Still, Charleston was burned to the ground. The British decided to teach those guys a lesson. They sent an army across the river to attack the Americans. More and more minutemen continued arriving. When the British army arrived at Bunker Hill ready to fight, the Americans were resting comfortably behind fortifications on Breeds Hill. On June 17, 1775, the exhausted British troops marched up the hill to attack the Americans. The Americans shot back from behind earthworks. Over half the British army was killed. The Americans ran low on ammunition and abandoned the battle field. A much smaller percentage of Americans were killed. After the battle, both sides retreated. The Americans were out of ammunition. The British felt like they could not afford to launch another attack and did not know what trick the Americans had planned next. The British gained tremendous respect for the Americans and a tremendous reluctance to attack a retreating American army as they had attacked the army retreating from Charleston to behind the defenses on Breeds Hill.

Related Questions

Why did British attack breeds hill?

The British wanted to attack bunker hill because from bunker hill all of Boston could be hit by cannon fire. However because of a mistake they attacked breeds hill thinking it was bunker hill.


How many men were in Bunker Hill?

ANSWER:The Battle of Bunker Hill happened on June 17, 1775. More than 1,000 British soldiers and about 400 Americans were killed or wounded. Many historians consider the Battle of Bunker Hill - the bloodiest battle of the entire American Revolutionary War. The colonists went to Breeds hill because the leader couldn't see where they were going so the wounded up there


Was Thomas Gage in the battle of bunker hill?

Yes, Thomas Gage was involved in the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place on June 17, 1775. At the time, he was the British military commander in Boston and led the British forces during the battle. Gage ordered the attack on the colonial positions at Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, resulting in a costly victory for the British despite heavy casualties. The battle demonstrated the determination of the American colonists and marked a significant early conflict in the American Revolutionary War.


How did the geography effect the Battle of Bunker Hill?

The battle of bunker hill took place on breeders hill (they went to it during the night so they THOUGHT it was bunker hill but it really was breeders) This hill overlooks the Boston harbor so that the colonist could watch the british making sure they wouldn't attack. When the news came that the british would attack the colonist quickly dug in he earth creating a fort to protect themselves. It is unclear who one but the most suffered was the british. hope that helps! (:


Why was the british attack on Bunker Hill was a mistake?

If the British went to this land called peninsula with a big land that is controlled their would be a big war. instead, they decided to attack the Americans.


Did Jhon Adams led the colonists in the Battle of Bunker Hill?

No, John Adams was one of the sons of liberty. William Prescott led the colonists in the Battle of Bunker Hill. they retreated after the third attack, leaving the British to claim victory of the hill.


Who won the Battle of Bladensburg?

The British won the Battle of Bladensburg, the development left Washington vulnerable to attack


How many British were captured in the Battle of Bunker Hill?

Three times; the first assault by the British Army came from the Mystic River beach but the colonists shot and repelled the advance. The second attack was meant to be at the front of the redoubt but climbing up the hill ended up being a mistake and once again, the British were held back. The third advance was mounted against the redoubt and breastworks and hand to hand combat took place, eventually causing the colonists to flee.


What is a effect from the Battle of Bunker Hill?

Following the Boston Tea Party, the British closed the Port of Boston. Ships would dock across the river in Charleston, Massachusetts. Some time after the British defeat at Concord on April 19, 1775, the British decided to get even with the Americans. They sent a force across the river and burned Charleston. As soon as smoke arose, American militia assembled and counter attacked. Still, Charleston was burned to the ground. The British decided to teach those guys a lesson. They sent an army across the river to attack the Americans. More and more minutemen continued arriving. When the British army arrived at Bunker Hill ready to fight, the Americans were resting comfortably behind fortifications on Breeds Hill. On June 17, 1775, the exhausted British troops marched up the hill to attack the Americans. The Americans shot back from behind earthworks. Over half the British army was killed. The Americans ran low on ammunition and abandoned the battle field. A much smaller percentage of Americans were killed. After the battle, both sides retreated. The Americans were out of ammunition. The British felt like they could not afford to launch another attack and did not know what trick the Americans had planned next. The British gained tremendous respect for the Americans and a tremendous reluctance to attack a retreating American army as they had attacked the army retreating from Charleston to behind the defenses on Breeds Hill.


Who led 2200 soldiers in an attack on breed's hill?

AnswerThe battle is named after the adjacent Bunker Hill, which was peripherally involved in the battle and was the original objective of both colonial and British troops, but is occasionally referred to as the "Battle of Breed's Hill." On June 13, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learned that the British generals were planning to send troops out from the city to occupy the unoccupied hills surrounding the city. In response to this intelligence, 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupied Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, constructed an earthen redoubt on Breed's Hill, and built lightly fortified lines across most of the Charlestown Peninsula.When the British were alerted to the presence of the new position the next day, they mounted an attack against them. After two assaults on the Colonial lines were repulsed with significant British casualties, the British finally captured the positions on the third assault, after the defenders in the redoubt ran out of ammunition. The Colonial forces retreated to Cambridge over Bunker Hill, suffering their most significant losses on Bunker Hill.


What was the war called when the British attacked uphill?

The war you're referring to is likely the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place during the American Revolutionary War in June 1775. In this battle, British forces launched an uphill attack against American colonial troops who were fortified on Breed's Hill. Despite ultimately losing the ground, the American forces inflicted significant casualties on the British, demonstrating their resolve and capability in the conflict.


Why did the british attack the americans in the battlrvof bladensburg?

The British attacked the Americans in the battle of Bladensburg to clear their way to Washington