The Battle of Bunker Hill was the June 1775 battle in Massachusetts where British forces captured Breed’s Hill during the siege of Boston.
Fought on June 17, 1775, the battle took place on the Charlestown Peninsula across the water from Boston. Colonial forces fortified Breed’s Hill, although the engagement retained the better-known name Bunker Hill. British troops eventually seized the position after three assaults.
The British won the ground, but at a heavy cost: their casualties were more than twice those of the colonial forces. The battle demonstrated that inexperienced American troops could stand against regular British soldiers, strengthening colonial confidence during the opening phase of the Revolutionary War.
The battle is often remembered through the phrase “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes,” although historians debate exactly who said it. Another common mix-up is assuming most of the fighting occurred on Bunker Hill; the main redoubt stood on Breed’s Hill.