The Battle of Bunker Hill was mostly fought on Breed’s Hill, and its famous order, don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes, was probably never said. This episode cuts through the mythology of June 17, 1775, starting with the geography of besieged Boston and Colonel William Prescott’s overnight decision to fortify the lower, more exposed hill.

We examine the British command’s arrogance in choosing a frontal assault over sealing Charlestown Neck, the six-hour delay that let the colonists extend their defenses, the wrong-caliber cannonballs, and the three bloody assaults that finally took the redoubt. We also cover the loss of Joseph Warren, the role of Black soldiers such as Peter Salem and Salem Poor, the political fallout in London, and the later dispute over Israel Putnam’s conduct.

• Why the colonists dug in on Breed’s Hill instead of Bunker Hill
• How General Henry Clinton’s plan to cut off the peninsula was overruled
• The real tactical reason colonial commanders ordered men to hold their fire
• Why losing about 100 officers was so damaging to the British army
• How the battle hardened King George III’s stance and shaped Washington’s confidence