The following Description of the Action near Boston, on the 17th of June, is taken from a Letter written by General Burgoyne to his Nephew Lord Stanley.
"Boston, June 25, 1775.
"Boston is a peninsula, joined to the main land only by a narrow
neck,
which on the first troubles Gen. Gage fortified; arms of the sea,
and the harbour,
surround the rest: on the other
side one of these arms, to the North, is Charles-
Town (or rather was, for it is now rubbish), and over it a large
hill, which is
also, like Boston, a peninsula: to the South
of the town is a still larger scope of
ground, containing three hills,
joining also to the main by a tongue of land,
and called Dorchester
Neck: the heights as above described, both North and
South, (in
the soldier's phrase) command the town, that is, give an opporunity
of
erecting batteries above any that you can make against them, and
consequently
are much more advantageous. It was absolutely necessary we
should make our-
selves masters of these
heights, and we proposed to begin with Dorchester, because
from particular situation of batteries and shipping (too long to describe, and
un-
intelligible to you if I did) it
would evidently be effected without any considerable
loss: everything was
accordingly disposed; my two colleagues and myself (who,
by the bye, have
never differed in one jot of military sentiment) had, in concert
with
Gen. Gage,
formed the plan: Howe was to land the
transports on one
point, Clinton in
the center, and I was to cannonade from the Causeway, or the
Neck; each to
take advantage of circumstances: the operations must have been
very easy;
this was to have been executed on the 18th. On
the 17th, at dawn
of day, we found the
enemy had pushed intrenchments with great diligence,
during the night, on
the heights of Charles-Town, and we evidently
saw that
every hour gave them fresh strength; it therefore became necessary
to alter our
plan, and attack on that side. Howe, as second in command, was detached with
about 2000 men,
and landed on the outward side of the peninsula, covered with
shipping,
without opposition; he was to advance from thence up the hill which
him Brigadier-General Pigot: Clinton and myself took our stand (for we had
not any fixed post) in a large battery directly opposite to Charles-Town, and
commanding it, and also reaching to the heights above it, and thereby facilitating
Howe's attack. Howe's disposition was exceeding soldier-like; in my opinion
it was perfect. As his first arm advanced up the hill, they met with a thousand
impediments from strong fences, and were much exposed. They were also ex-
ceedingly hurt by musquetry from Charles-Town, though Clinton and I did not
perceive it, till Howe sent us word by a boat, and desired us to set fire to the
town, which was immediately done. We threw a parcel of shells, and the whole
was instantly in flames. Our battery afterwards kept an incessant fire on the
heights: it was seconded by a number of frigates, floating batteries, and one
ship of the line.
"And now ensued one of the greatest scenes of war that can be conceived:
if
we look to the height, Howe's corps
ascending the hill in the face of entrench-
ments, and in a very disadvantageous ground, was much engaged; and to
the
left the enemy pouring in fresh troops by thousands, over the land;
and in the
arm of the sea our ships and floating batteries cannonading
them: strait before
us a large and a noble town in one great blaze; the
church steeples, being of
timber, were great pyramids of fire above the
rest; behind us the church steeples
and heights of our own camp covered
with spectators of the rest of our army
which was not engaged; the hills
round the country covered with spectators;
the enemy all anxious suspense;
the roar of cannon, mortars, and musquetry;
the crush of churches, ships
upon the stocks, and whole streets falling together
in ruin, to fill the
ear; the storm of the redoubts, with the objects above de-
scribed, to fill the eye; and the reflection that perhaps a
defeat was a final loss
to the British empire in America, to fill the mind;
made the whole a picture
to my lot to be witness to. I much lament Tom's* absence: — it was a sight for
a young soldier that the longest service may not furnish again; and had he been
with me he would likewise have been out of danger; for, except two cannon
balls that went an hundred yards over our heads, we were not on any part of the
direction of the enemy's shot. A moment of the day was critical: Howe's left
were staggered; two battalions had been sent to reinforce them, but we perceived
them on the beach seeming in embarrassment what way to march; Clinton, then
next for business, took the part, without waiting for orders, to throw himself
into a boat to head them; he arrived in time to be of service, the day ended
with glory, and the success was most important, considering the ascendancy it
gave the regular troops; but the loss was uncommon in officers for the numbers
engaged.
"Howe was untouched, but his aid-de-camp
Sherwin was killed; Jordan, a
friend
of Howe's, who came, engage du
cœur, to see the campaign, (a ship-mate
of ours on board the
Cerberus, and who acted as aid-de-camp) is badly wounded.
Pigot was unhurt, but he behaved like a
hero. You will see the lift of the loss.
Poor Col.
Abercrombie, who commanded the grenadiers, died yesterday of
his
wounds. Capt. Addison, our poor old friend, who arrived but the
day before,
and was to have dined with me on the day of the action, was
also killed; his
son was upon the field at the time. Major Mitchell is but very slightly
hurt;
he is out already; young Chetwynd's wound is also slight. Lord
Percy's
regi-
ment has suffered the most, and behaved
the best; his Lordship himself was not
in the action:—Lord Roden behaved to a
charm; his name is established for
life."
*His nephew, the Hon.
Tho. Stanley, Esq; (and brother to Lord Stanley), who
is gone
a volunteer to Boston, in his Majesty's service.
[No closing or signature appears at the end of the published letter.]