Revolutionary War Letter Referencing Bunker Hill, Four Days After Battle.
Revolutionary War Letter Reporting Early Casualties After Bunker Hill
Autograph Letter Signed (ALS)
June 21, 1775
Manuscript letter in ink on laid rag paper, three pages on a single bifolium sheet, folded for transmission. Dated June 21, 1775, four days after the Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775). Contemporary hand. Address panel and original fold lines present. Later archival tape reinforcements along folds. Some loss at edges; text largely legible.
Historical Context
This letter was written in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the earliest and bloodiest engagements of the American Revolution.
Dated just four days after the battle, the writer reports:
“the unhappy difference between our countrymen & his Majesty’s Troops…”
and refers to:
“Lieutenant Paterson whose Horse was shot under him at the engagement… accounts reported at Boston that 500 Americans are killed…”
The letter captures the atmosphere of confusion, rumor, and escalating fear following the June 17, 1775 engagement near Boston. Casualty figures circulated widely and were often exaggerated; contemporary reports varied significantly before official returns were issued.
The phrasing indicates a British or Loyalist perspective (“his Majesty’s Troops”), suggesting the writer was either in Britain or aligned with Crown interests.
The reference to “the engagement” almost certainly pertains to Bunker Hill, as no other major engagement occurred in the Boston theater between Lexington & Concord (April 19, 1775) and this date.
Content Summary
The letter blends:
Personal family matters
Health concerns
Transatlantic correspondence with Virginia
Immediate wartime intelligence
Key passages include:
Concern over escalating hostilities
Reports of officer casualties
Discussion of exaggerated American losses
Reference to Boston and Virginia correspondence
The document provides a near-real-time civilian reaction to the opening phase of the Revolutionary War.
Physical Description
Laid rag paper with visible chain lines
Folded for postal transmission (pre-envelope format)
Ink oxidation consistent with 18th century iron gall ink
Partial separations at fold intersections
Later archival reinforcement tape
Moderate edge loss
Condition is stable but compromised by historical folding and later repairs.
Significance
Letters dated within days of Bunker Hill are scarce. This example is notable for:
Precise dating (June 21, 1775)
Direct reference to the recent engagement
Named British officer
Contemporary casualty reporting
Clear wartime political language
Such documents illustrate how early war news circulated and how rapidly the conflict escalated in public perception.
This is not a retrospective narrative; it is immediate reaction material.
Revolutionary War Letter Reporting Early Casualties After Bunker Hill
Autograph Letter Signed (ALS)
June 21, 1775
Manuscript letter in ink on laid rag paper, three pages on a single bifolium sheet, folded for transmission. Dated June 21, 1775, four days after the Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775). Contemporary hand. Address panel and original fold lines present. Later archival tape reinforcements along folds. Some loss at edges; text largely legible.
Historical Context
This letter was written in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the earliest and bloodiest engagements of the American Revolution.
Dated just four days after the battle, the writer reports:
“the unhappy difference between our countrymen & his Majesty’s Troops…”
and refers to:
“Lieutenant Paterson whose Horse was shot under him at the engagement… accounts reported at Boston that 500 Americans are killed…”
The letter captures the atmosphere of confusion, rumor, and escalating fear following the June 17, 1775 engagement near Boston. Casualty figures circulated widely and were often exaggerated; contemporary reports varied significantly before official returns were issued.
The phrasing indicates a British or Loyalist perspective (“his Majesty’s Troops”), suggesting the writer was either in Britain or aligned with Crown interests.
The reference to “the engagement” almost certainly pertains to Bunker Hill, as no other major engagement occurred in the Boston theater between Lexington & Concord (April 19, 1775) and this date.
Content Summary
The letter blends:
Personal family matters
Health concerns
Transatlantic correspondence with Virginia
Immediate wartime intelligence
Key passages include:
Concern over escalating hostilities
Reports of officer casualties
Discussion of exaggerated American losses
Reference to Boston and Virginia correspondence
The document provides a near-real-time civilian reaction to the opening phase of the Revolutionary War.
Physical Description
Laid rag paper with visible chain lines
Folded for postal transmission (pre-envelope format)
Ink oxidation consistent with 18th century iron gall ink
Partial separations at fold intersections
Later archival reinforcement tape
Moderate edge loss
Condition is stable but compromised by historical folding and later repairs.
Significance
Letters dated within days of Bunker Hill are scarce. This example is notable for:
Precise dating (June 21, 1775)
Direct reference to the recent engagement
Named British officer
Contemporary casualty reporting
Clear wartime political language
Such documents illustrate how early war news circulated and how rapidly the conflict escalated in public perception.
This is not a retrospective narrative; it is immediate reaction material.