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The Bunker Hill Monument, stands in the center of Monument
Square, on Breed's Hill, where the barricade was thrown up by the Americans on the
night before the historic battle. It is 221 1/6 feet high, and 6,700 tons of granite
was used in its construction. The monument is 30 feet square at the base, and
gradually tapers to 15 2/5 feet at the apex. The obelisk is hollow, and contains a
spiral flight of 295 stone steps ascending to a chamber 11 feet square and 17 feet high.
There are four windows in the observatory, where a beautiful view can be obtained
of the city. The stone at the apex, above the observatory, is one piece, and weighs
2 ? tons. On June 17, 1825, the cornerstone was laid by General Lafayette, with an
oration given by Daniel Webster. The monument cost over $150,000, a huge sum at the
time. It was dedicated June 17, 1843, on which occasion Daniel Webster was again the
orator, and President Tyler and his cabinet were present.
The monument commemorates the important Battle of Bunker Hill of June 17th, 1775. 4,000 British troops marched bravely up the hill, to almost certain
death, and attacked the works hastily thrown up by the American [Provincial] troops the night
before. The Americans numbered about 2,500, and were under the command of
Colonel Prescott, General Putnam, and General Warren. 800
or so British were killed, with as many wounded or missing, in their repeated
attempts to storm the works. 100 Americans were killed, with 340 wounded or missing. Just before the battle, Prescott gave the famous
command "don't fire til you see the whites of their eyes," to delay firing and conserve precious gun powder.
Lesser known heroes at Charlestown include Salem
Poor and Peter Salem.
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Contact Information
Phone Number: 617.242.5641
Web Address: www.nps.gov/...
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