June 17, 1775 General Howe orders his 2,400 British troops up Breed's Hill against entrenched colonials.
General William Prescott ordered his militiamen to hold fire until they could see the whites of the British eyes.
At forty yards they unleashed, and broke the British ranks.
Howe ordered another wave forward, and the story repeated.
The third British wave came as the militia was running low on ammo, giving the British a chance to break into the outnumbered colonial line, and forcing the militia to retreat.
British forces chased them to Bunker Hill, and then gave up pursuit. The redcoats had suffered a loss of nearly 1,000 troops including ninety-two officers.
Colonial forces may have lost the strategic position, but the battle only built their morale.
It was the last time that the British would attempt a purely frontal assault against American militias.