April 18, 1775—Battle of Lexington-Concord.
April 20, 1775—The long siege of Boston begins.
May 4, 1775—General Howe arrives in Boston with an additional 4,500
British troops.
May 27, 1775—British raid Noddle’s and Hog islands for hay and food. Colonials—3 wounded.
British—2 killed, one schooner captured.
June 17, 1775—Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds Hill).
Colonial casualties—140 killed, 271 wounded.
British casualties—245 killed, 828 wounded.
Short on ammunition, the colonials were ordered not to fire until they saw the whites of the redcoats’ eyes. They repelled the first two assaults, but after running out of ammunition and having to resort to bayonets and rocks, they lost the last assault. The redcoats won the hills of Charles Town, Massachusetts (Bunker Hill). A member of British Parliament was heard to say, “A few more such victories will surely spell ruin for the victors.”
July 3, 1775—George Washington, after being appointed as general of the colonial army, arrives in Cambridge and takes command.
October 1775—General Gage is recalled to England and is replaced by General Howe.
Fall of 1775—Washington begins to move part of the Continental army south to New York, where he believes the next battle will occur.
March 17, 1776—The siege of Boston ends when the British army and Tory citizens board British warships and sail north to Nova Scotia. The army later returns to New York.
July 4, 1776—The colonists declare their independence.