American War of Independence: Key battles | National Army Museum

Under siege

Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the outbreak of revolt across New England, the American rebels laid siege to Boston. The British position was fairly secure once reinforcements arrived at the end of May 1775. However, continually menaced by fire from the surrounding hilltops, the British decided to occupy these positions.

On 17 June, British troops were ferried across to Breed’s Hill on the Charlestown Peninsula. At the cost of more than 1,000 casualties, they defeated the revolutionaries at Bunker Hill. The order, ‘Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!’ was popularised by stories about this battle, although it’s unclear who actually said it.

Examine the origins of the war