Most fighting in the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill occurred on Breed’s Hill.
The battle took place on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston. Colonial forces built fortifications on Breed’s Hill, a lower hill closer to Boston, while the broader peninsula also included Bunker Hill to the north.
The battle retained the name “Bunker Hill” because Bunker Hill was the original objective and the engagement unfolded across the Charlestown Peninsula. British troops captured the colonial redoubt after repeated assaults, but they suffered severe casualties.
The naming can confuse readers because the main fortified position and much of the fighting were on Breed’s Hill. The battle is therefore a useful example of how a historical name can reflect an intended objective rather than the exact location of the principal combat.