Battle of Bunker Hill
1775 CE · Massachusetts, USA
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought in 1775 CE in Massachusetts, USA between American colonial militia vs Great Britain; British victory at heavy cost; the colonists were driven off only after running out of ammunition.
Battle of Bunker Hill: quick facts
- Date
- 1775 CE
- Location
- Massachusetts, USA
- Belligerents
- American colonial militia vs Great Britain
- Commanders
- William Prescott vs William Howe
- Result
- British victory at heavy cost; the colonists were driven off only after running out of ammunition.
- Era
- 🦅 American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- easy
What happened at the Battle of Bunker Hill?
Colonial militia fortified Breed's Hill (near Bunker Hill) overlooking British-held Boston, forcing a direct assault. The defenders repulsed two British charges before running out of ammunition during the third. Though the British captured the position, they suffered over 1,000 casualties—nearly half their attacking force. The battle proved that untrained colonists could stand against professional British soldiers and boosted American morale.
Did you know?
The famous order 'Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes' at Bunker Hill was likely given because the Americans were critically short on gunpowder and needed every shot to count.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Bunker Hill on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.