American Revolution
Vivid Engraving of "View of The Attack on Bunker's Hill, with the Burning of Charles Town on June 17, 1775"
c. 1782 Revolutionary War Period, Hand-Colored Copper Plate Engraving titled, "View of The Attack on Bunker's Hill, with the Burning of Charles Town, June 17, 1775," engraved by Lodge, published by Alexander Hogg in London, Choice Crisp Near Mint.
A beautiful expertly Hand-Colored framed print, Engraved by John Lodge, from a drawing by Mr. Millar. This important Revolutionary War period Engraving comes from Edward Barnard's "History of England." The exquisite copper-plate engraving measures 11.5" x 8" (by sight), professionally double-matted and framed to fully 17.5" x 14.25" in a modern period style frame under UV Plexiglas. Accomplished in rich colors on fresh clean crisp period laid paper and is a wholly genuine example from the period. This dramatic copper-plate engraving depicts this early Revolutionary War Battle with troops engaged in heated combat from a decidedly British point of view assaulting Bunker Hill. While the result was a victory for the British, they suffered huge losses and the battle demonstrated the Colonial forces under their commanders ability to stand up to the regulars comprising the British Army troops in a pitched battle. The view depicts Boston to one side, and the raging conflagration in the Town of Charles-town with British ships firing their cannon on the town from in the harbor. The Battle scene is enclosed within an ornately engraved decorative picture-frame style outer border. Gorgeous and ready for display. The last similar example of this engraving we sold was in our EAHA Auction, August 25, 2017, Lot 158 selling at $1,500. The current example being slightly finer in quality.
Provenance: Collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved in the battle. It was the original objective of both the colonial and British troops, though the majority of combat took place on the adjacent Breed's Hill.
On June 13, 1775, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learned that the British were planning to send troops out from the city to fortify the unoccupied hills surrounding the city, which would give them control of Boston Harbor. In response, 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupied Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. During the night, the colonists constructed a strong redoubt on Breed's Hill, as well as smaller fortified lines across the Charlestown Peninsula.
By daybreak of June 17, the British became aware of the presence of colonial forces on the Peninsula and mounted an attack against them that day. Two assaults on the colonial positions were repulsed with significant British casualties; the third and final attack carried the redoubt after the defenders ran out of ammunition. The colonists retreated to Cambridge over Bunker Hill, leaving the British in control of the Peninsula.
The battle was a tactical victory for the British, but it proved to be a sobering experience for them, involving many more casualties than the Americans had incurred, including a large number of officers.
The battle had demonstrated that inexperienced militia were able to stand up to regular army troops in battle. Subsequently, the battle discouraged the British from any further frontal attacks against well defended front lines. American casualties were comparatively much fewer, although their losses included General Joseph Warren and Major Andrew McClary, the final casualty of the battle.
The battle led the British to adopt a more cautious planning and maneuver execution in future engagements, which was evident in the subsequent New York and New Jersey campaign, and arguably helped rather than hindered the American forces. Their new approach to battle was actually giving the Americans greater opportunity to retreat if defeat was imminent.
The costly engagement also convinced the British of the need to hire substantial numbers of foreign mercenaries to bolster their strength in the face of the new and formidable Continental Army.