The Battle of Bunker Hill takes place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War.

The battle is named after the adjacent Bunker Hill, which was peripherally involved in the battle and was the original objective of both colonial and British troops, and is occasionally referred to as the "Battle of Breed's Hill.

"On June 13, 1775, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learn that the British generals are planning to send troops out from the city to occupy the unoccupied hills surrounding the city.

In response to this intelligence, 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupy Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, construct an earthen redoubt on Breed's Hill, and built lightly fortified lines across most of the Charlestown Peninsula.When the British are alerted to the presence of the new position the next day, they mount an attack against them.

After two assaults on the colonial lines ware repulsed with significant British casualties, the British finally capture the positions on the third assault, after the defenders in the redoubt run out of ammunition.

The colonial forces retreat to Cambridge over Bunker Hill, suffering their most significant losses on Bunker Hill.While the result is a victory for the British, they suffer heavy losses: over 800 wounded and 226 killed, including a notably large number of officers.

The battle is seen as an example of a Pyrrhic victory, because the immediate gain (the capture of Bunker Hill) is modest and does not significantly change the state of the siege, while the cost (the loss of nearly a third of the deployed forces) is high.

Meanwhile, colonial forces are able to retreat and regroup in good order having suffered few casualties.

Furthermore, the battle demonstrates that relatively inexperienced colonial forces are willing and able to stand up to regular army troops in a pitched battle.