Ensign DeBerniere'sMap of Bunker Hill

 

Ensign Henry DeBerniere as an officer in the 10th Regiment of Foot in 1775.  An enterprising officer with a talent for map making DeBerniere had undertaken spy missions in 1774 mapping routes out of Boston.  He took part on the 19 April mission to concord to destroy the supplies gathered there.  And he made a series if maps of Boston and the surrounding areas.  One of his best maps is of the Charlestown Peninsula and British troop movements during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

  There are a couple editions of this map on the internet.  This one is from Geography and Map Division Library of Congress ( G3764.B6S3 1775 .B3 Vault) and is an excellent copy.  The details of the map are outstanding and super useful to students if the battle or miniature wargamers wishing to refight the battle historically.

  This enlarged section showed the area where the Howe landed his main force at Moulton's point; sent his light Infantry companies along the beach to turn the American flank and the Grenadier attack against the rail fence.  The numerous fences slowed the British advance, and exposed them to small arms and cannon fire while trying to cross them.  The Royal Artillery could not cross the fields due to these fences so went a round them and got stuck in the wet marshy ground at the base of Breeds hill. The routes if the 5th and 52nd regiments during the third attack are clearly marked.

A close up of the Light Infantry companies on the beach trying toout flank the American position along the rail fence.  This area today is near the present Charlestown High school  and still has a sharp drop which obscure it from the ground.  The order of march for the light bobs are (from left to right) 23rd, 4th, 19th, 52nd, 43rd, 65th, 59th, 47th, 35th, 38th and 5th.

The final assault on the redoubt and breast work on Breeds hill. This is one of the very few maps which show how close Charlestown was to the hill and how snipers there effected earlier attacks.   It also points out the barn which had to be taken before the final attack on the redoubt.  Again fascinating details here like the extra flank companies position with the Marines and 47th regiments.

  

Breed's Hill battlefield

"Bunker Hill After the Battle"

by Thomas Davies  1775

(New York Public Library)

A fascinating watercolor done by Thomas Davies of the Bunker Hill battlefield done shortly after the battle.   The view is from the base of Breeds hill looking up towards the redoubt and breastwork built and defended by Colonel William Prescott and his Massachusetts soldiers.  This was the area through which the 5th and 52nd Regiments marched to attack in the final assault.  Note the remains of the fences throughout the field which numerous British officers spoke about.  Also the three soldiers in the fore ground wearing cut down coats and cut down cocked hats.

Battle of Bunker's Hill dioramas

  

If you are here from The Minuatures Pages TMP please note Tango and TMP do not have my permission to use my work   I have asked both  Bill and Tango to please credit my blog.  If they did not want to do this then please not use my site.  Tango promised not to use my blog if that was my stand;  but then continued to link to posts here. I cannot protest this on TMP as Bill has banned me for asking this of him.  

  Being the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill I thought I would post a series of articles on the battle this week.  When I was with the National Park Service (1975 to 2005) I was site supervisor for the Charlestown district of Boston National Historical Par which included the monument. Although the city of Charlestown has been built over the battlefield a careful walk will still turn up portions of the fields today.

  Back in the 1980's and 1990's there were three dioramas at the Bunker Hill monument in Charlestown Massachusetts.  These were very important to the Park Rangers who used them for interpretation of the battle.  While there are still some landmarks of the grounds the entire battlefield has disappeared under contract and tenement houses.  Presently I have been told these dioramas have been moved across the street to a new and improved museum.

  Two of the dioramas were built by the Pittman studios in Cambridge Massachusetts during the 1930's.  The first was a diorama of the Charlestown peninsula as it looked at the time of the battle.  It includes Boston and the surrounding countryside.  Most importantly it showed the harbour and various small rivers and creeks.  What it does not show are the mud flats and marshy ground which effected where the British could or could not land troops.

  Next was a large shadow box of the redoubt atop Breed's Hill.  The view is along the breastork towards the redoubt atop Breeds Hill. As with all Pittman dioramas there are plenty if fascinating details.   The figures are made from wax and clay.  

  Lastly, a massive diorama of the battle.  This was constructed by a members of the  Massachusetts Military Miniatures painters for the Museum of Fine Art,  in  Boston as part of a bicentennial project in 1975.  The figures were made by Jack Scruby and as still available today as his 9mm American Revolution line.  The topography is excellent but the troop movement show a variety of times during the battle rather then one attack.

Three Battle of Bunker's Hill dioramas

  Back in the 1980's and 1990's there were three dioramas at the Bunker Hill monument in Charlestown Massachusetts.  These were very important to the Park Rangers who used them for interpretation of the battle.  While there are still some landmarks of the grounds the entire battlefield has disappeared under contract and tenement houses.  Presently I have been told these dioramas have been moved across the street to a new and improved museum.

  Two of the dioramas were built by the Pittman studios in Cambridge Massachusetts during the 1930's.  The first was a diorama of the Charlestown peninsula as it looked at the time of the battle.

  Next was a large shadow box of the redoubt atop Breed's Hill.

Lastly, a massive diorama of the battle.  This was constructed by a number Massachusetts military miniatures painters for the Museum of Fine Art,  Boston as part of a bicentennial project in 1975.  The figures were made by Jack Scruby and as still available today as his 9mm American Revolution line.

Due to the Stay at Home orders I have been I unable to take any pictures.  I have used pictures from the internet that came from the blogs Legatus' war game Armies and History in 1/72nd.  Their pictures are far better then anything I could have done.  Thank you!

View of Breed's Hill after the battle c. 1775

 Original water color by artist Thomas Davis in 1775.  View at base of Breed' hill looking up hill.  The redoubt and breastwork are illustrated.  Remains of various fences scattered about field.  By the officers and soldiers in foreground note plants suggesting wet ground.  This is area where British guns were bogged down.

A brigade order in Boston said the men may cut their hats, in the manner the 4th have done.  These soldiers hats suggest how that should look.   As to the fellow sitting down under the shade of the tree to the left he could be a light infantryman.

https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/96705235-c441-f877-e040-e00a18065df4