back and forth, up and down, men exhausted after a long day of fighting; these are some of the terms people may use to describe the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. After the battles of Lexington and Concord, the British had realized that the Americans were occupying the countryside, where Bunker and Breed's Hills stood. Then they realized that something had to be done and followed in the American's footsteps. This battle marked the first major battle of the American Revolution and the beginning of many more battles to come. Even though the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought in one day, it was still a long and gruesome battle for the men who risked their lives fighting in it (Gilje). The British did not expect the Americans to move so quickly towards the outskirts of Boston. , where the hills were. It all began on June 14, when the British commander, Thomas Gage, was planning to occupy the Charleston Peninsula. The word was an "open secret," meaning the entire state of Boston knew what he intended to do. The flaw about having an open secret was that American forces found out where and what the British were planning to do. When the Americans learned what they were planning, American Colonel William Prescott led 1,200 men to Bunker Hill on the night of June 16. After arriving at Bunker Hill, which is the higher of the two hills, the commanders decided to move across Bunker Hill and head towards Breed's Hill. Breed's Hill was closer to the river that encircled the peninsula. The American forces thought that if they were not so high up, they could command the city better and have a better chance of attacking the British when they first arrived. Early the next morning, the Americans were put to work, cons... middle of paper... because the clash was very short. Usually this type of thing lasts a couple of days. Not this one though. The Battle of Bunker Hill is important to learn because it really boosted British morale and left an impact on what was expected for the future. Works Cited Gilje, Paul A. "Battle of Bunker Hill." Encyclopedia of American History: Revolution and New Nation, 1761 to 1812. Ed. Gary B. Nash. Revised ed. vol. III. New York: Facts on File,. 2010. American History Online. Network. January 5, 2014.Purcell, Edward L. and Sarah J. Purcell. "Battle of Bunker Hill." Encyclopedia of Battles in North America, 1517 to 1916. New York: Facts on File, 2000. American History Online. Network. January 5, 2014. Tucker, Spencer C. “Battle of Bunker Hill.” Encyclopedia of American Military History. Gen. ed. New York: Facts on File, 2003. American History Online. Network. December 19 2013.