. When the British closed to thirty yards the Americans opened fire with devastating effect. In some companies 7 out of 10 were killed in others 9 of 10 died. The survivors stumbled back down the hill. When Howe returned to the bottom, he asked why the artillery battery had ceased firing while they were still approaching the Americans. To his chagrin he discovered that boxes of 12-pound shot had been sent over and that the artillery had only 6 pound cannons. Howe ordered them to shoot grape shot and sent back across the water for the proper shot. On Howe's left the American Company, still in the town, had taken to firing into his left flank. The Admiral landed and asked if burning the town might be of assistance and Howe readily agreed. The Admiral returned to his fleet and ordered the firing of red-hot shot into Charlestown. The town of 400 buildings caught fire in 50 places and immediately went up in a huge conflagration. The British came on twice more with similar losses. The third try succeeded, just barely in over-running the redoubt. The men with Prescott being out of powder and trying to make do by breaking the powder out of artillery casings and using scrap metal for bullets. Finally, in the midst of hand-to-hand fighting Prescott called a retreat and the survivors scrambled over the back of the redoubt and trough the narrow exit. Joseph Warren was killed when he was shot in the back of the head. Finally, several more American Regiments got across the neck in good order and passing to the right of Bunker's Hill laid down a covering fire for Prescott's men. Gardner was first and was soon wounded. Michael Jackson took over for him and was soon joined by companies of Connecticut troops. Soon the British advanced on them and were in a bloody stand-up fight. In good order the troops fell back turning time and again to lay down delaying fire. Thus, did most of the men escape across the Neck to Cambridge. The British wanted to pursue b...
