ELEGIAC POEM,
COMPOSED ON THE NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN
TERRIBLE AND BLOODY BATTLE
FOUGHT AT AN INTRENCHMENT ON
BUNKER-HILL,
Now justly called (by the Regulars) BLOODY-HILL, situated two miles from the
head-quarters of the Regulars at
BOSTON, and one mile north-
ward from the centre of the town of
CHARLESTOWN, in
NEW-ENGLAND, in
AMERICA, which was wantonly and inhumanly set on fire and
consumed, previous to the
engagement: This town contained one large meeting-house, about three hundred
dwelling-houses, a great number of which were large and elegant, besides one
hundred
and fifty or two hundred other buildings, whereby about six or seven hundred of
its distressed inhabitants are now forced from their dwellings, and obliged to
seek
new habitations for themselves, many of whom having left, on this calamitous
occasion, their houses, cloaths, furniture, and in
short every thing that was valuable,
depend at this time entirely on the benevolent charity of their kind and
simpathizing brethren and friends in the country; who have the unfeigned and
hearty thanks
of all such as have been relieved: May whole kindness, shewn to the distressed people who have been obliged to take
refuge from that or any other town, be rewarded an
hundred fold in this world, and in the world to come may they receive life
everlasting, is the sincere and fervent wish of every true Friend to the RIGHTS
and LIBERTIES
of the
AMERICAN COLONIES! -- We are sure an attempt to delineate the
horrible and shocking situation the distressed souls were in, that still
remained in that unfortu-
nate town, at the time the cannonading began, would melt the stoutest
heart, and give a shock to the human imagination, which would very far surpass
the compass of
this sheet; but the relation of this wicked and cruel affair may perhaps
hereafter afford matter of speculation to the Historian, and serve to fill many
pages in the history of
AMERICA. -- What soul but must be filled with horror at viewing
the aged and decrepit ones begging for the assistance of the youth, who were
now flying through
the red-hot cannon balls and smoke occasioned by the flames of their dwellings?
What heart but must melt at beholding the Women with their helpless little
ones
around them, in the greatest confusion seeking a refuge from the devouring jaws
[of] destruction, and from the violent fury
of their cruel and barbarous enemies ? It is said
this diabolical transaction was executed by orders from that arch-traitor and
worst of villains T----- G---, whom
posterity will forever curse, so long as his name shall be
remembered. -- This bloody battle was fought about four o'clock in the
afternoon of
Saturday the seventeenth of JUNE, one thousand seven
hundred and seventy five,
between an advanced party of seven hundred Provincials, and fourteen regiments
and a train of artillery, of the Ministerial forces, the former of whom after
bearing about
two hours, with the utmost fortitude and bravery, as severe a fire as perhaps
ever was known, and many having fired away all their ammunition, they were
over-powered
by numbers, and obliged to leave the intrenchments, with three pieces of
cannon, and retreat about sun-set to a small distance over
Charlestown-neck. -- By the returns
made in the Provincial and Ministerial Armies it appears, that there were of
the Provincials one major-general, one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, two
captains, three
lieutenants, and ninety privates, killed, among which number, to the
inexpressible grief of our whole army, is that honorable, renowned, and
magnanimous Hero, MA-
JOR-GENERAL JOSEPH WARREN, Esquire, who commanded on this
occasion, as also the brave and intrepid Colonels
GARDNER and PARKER; there were one
lieutenant and two hundred and fifty privates wounded: Total killed and wounded
three hundred and twenty four. -- On the side of the Regulars there were
one
lieutenant-colonel, four majors, eleven captains, thirteen lieutenants, one
ensign, one hundred and two serjeants, one hundred
corporals, seven hundred and fifty-three
rank and file, killed; one quarter-master, three majors, fifteen captains,
nineteen lieutenants, six ensigns, and five hundred and four wounded; Total of
killed and
wounded, four hundred and fifty. -- The above account, which contains in
substance as accurate a detail as can be collected from the different advices
received from
Boston and elsewhere, of the transactions of both
armies on that ever-memorable
seventeenth of June, is here annexed to the proceeding Poem, and
printed in this form
at the request of a great number of Friends to the AMERICAN CAUSE, to whom (but
more especially those belonging to the Continental Army, who may have this
sheet very cheap) it is recommended to preserve, not only as a token of
gratitude to their deceased Friends, we mean those immortal and heroic
WORTHIES, who lately
so nobly bled in defence of the RIGHTS, LIBERTIES, and PRIVILEGES of
NORTH-AMERICA: This sheet may be thought necessary to keep in
eternal remembrance the
heroic BATTLE of
CHARLESTOWN, where a few hundreds of Americans
several times repulsed eight times their number of Ministerial Troops of
Great-Britain.
An ACROSTIC on the late Major-General
WARREN
Who was slain fighting for the LIBERTIES of
AMERICA,
in the Battle of
BUNKER HILL, on
Saturday the se-
venteenth day of June, one thousand seven
hun-
dred and seventy five.
SALEM:
N.E Printed and Sold by E. RUSSELL, next to
JOHN TURNER, Esq; in the Main-street.
1775.-- Travelling-Traders, &c. are desired to call at
the
above place, where they may supply themselves with sundry New Piece on the
Times, very cheap by the Quantity: They may also supply themselves with
AL-
MANACKS, for
1776, which are now in the Press and will speedily be published.
-- May likewise be had, Cheap Leather POCKET-BOOKS, with or without Clasps.