A Plan of the Battle, on Bunkers Hill Fought on the 17th of June 1775

The upper right corner says that this is “A plan of the Battle on Bunkers Hill.” It appears to be a map showing Boston and the surrounding area. Lines on the map are labeled with ships and seem to show the movement of troops.

The map highlights the hilly terrain, particularly Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill, which are central to the battle. This is evident from the contour lines and the strategic placement of troops on elevated positions.

Answers will vary but may include:

• How did the American forces manage to hold their positions for so long despite being outnumbered?
• What specific tactics did the British used to eventually overcome the American defenses?
• What was the role of the ships?

One unusual feature that stands out is the detailed annotations and the inclusion of a letter from General Burgoyne. This adds a personal perspective to the map, making it more than just a visual representation.

Responses may include:

• The annotations provide detailed descriptions of troop movements and key events during the battle.
• Lines show the path of ships across the water and the ships are identified by name.
• Slash marks indicate areas of higher elevation, showing what the terrain was like.
• Colors indicate the positions of the two armies during the battle.
• Rectangles and other enclosed polygons seem to indicate city blocks or even specific buildings in Charlestown.

This section shows where the main battle was fought. Color is used to indicate the different armies: the American colonists are shown in yellow and the British forces are shown in brown. The map seems to indicate that the American forces were positioned at a higher elevation and therefore should have had an advantage, but it looks like there were far more British troops. The British also seem to have had control of the water with their ships able to provide back up and also to bring more troops across the water from Boston.

The American Revolutionary War was just getting underway, with the colonies fighting for independence from British rule. The Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the early and significant conflicts in this war.

Because the map was created and printed in London and features a letter from a British general, it seems likely that this map reflects a British perspective on the movement of troops and positions in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

This map might have helped someone in 1775 understand the strategic complexities of the Battle of Bunker Hill, appreciate the challenges faced by both sides, and analyze the military tactics used during the conflict.

Answers will vary, but may include:

• The map’s maker wanted to provide both a visual and narrative account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, illustrating the strategic positions and movements of both American and British forces.
• People in Great Britain may have been interested and worried about the fighting in the colonies and likely wanted to know exactly what had been happening.
• The map maker may have wanted to provide a tool for the military to study the tactics and maneuvers of the battle. It could have been used for training or learning.

British military leadership may have felt they needed to have a document to explain the specific dynamics of the Battle to the public. In order to better understand whether or not this is true and what motivated the map maker, it would be helpful to understand exactly what directions were given to the map maker. Knowing where the map was published and who its audience was might also help explain this.

Responses may include:

• Historians could compare a map like this to writings and other records of the battle in order to understand where events took place.
• Historians could use a map like this to guide work to locate and excavate or research historic sites.
• The map is valuable because it was created shortly after the Battle of Bunker Hill, so it is likely more accurate than maps or recollections made years later.
• The map is valuable because it shows how the Battle of Bunker Hill might have been represented to British people.