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An Elegiac Poem, Composed On The Never-To-Be-Forgotten Terrible And Bloody Battle Fought At An Intrenchment On Bunker-Hill

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50 cm x 39.4 cm

[Salem: printed by E. Russell, 1775]

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AN
ELEGIAC POEM,
COMPOSED ON THE NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN
TERRIBLE AND BLOODY BATTLE
FOUGHT AT AN INTRENCHMENT ON
BUNKER-HILL,

Now justly called (by the Regulars) BLOODY-HILL, situated two miles from the head-quarters of the Regulars at BOSTON, and one mile north-
ward from the centre of the town of CHARLESTOWN, in NEW-ENGLAND, in AMERICA, which was wantonly and inhumanly set on fire and consumed, previous to the
engagement: This town contained one large meeting-house, about three hundred dwelling-houses, a great number of which were large and elegant, besides one hundred
and fifty or two hundred other buildings, whereby about six or seven hundred of its distressed inhabitants are now forced from their dwellings, and obliged to seek
new habitations for themselves, many of whom having left, on this calamitous occasion, their houses, cloaths, furniture, and in short every thing that was valuable,
depend at this time entirely on the benevolent charity of their kind and simpathizing brethren and friends in the country; who have the unfeigned and hearty thanks
of all such as have been relieved: May whole kindness, shewn to the distressed people who have been obliged to take refuge from that or any other town, be rewarded an
hundred fold in this world, and in the world to come may they receive life everlasting, is the sincere and fervent wish of every true Friend to the RIGHTS and LIBERTIES
of the AMERICAN COLONIES! -- We are sure an attempt to delineate the horrible and shocking situation the distressed souls were in, that still remained in that unfortu-
nate town, at the time the cannonading began, would melt the stoutest heart, and give a shock to the human imagination, which would very far surpass the compass of
this sheet; but the relation of this wicked and cruel affair may perhaps hereafter afford matter of speculation to the Historian, and serve to fill many pages in the history of
AMERICA. -- What soul but must be filled with horror at viewing the aged and decrepit ones begging for the assistance of the youth, who were now flying through
the red-hot cannon balls and smoke occasioned by the flames of their dwellings? What heart but must melt at beholding the Women with their helpless little ones
around them, in the greatest confusion seeking a refuge from the devouring jaws [of] destruction, and from the violent fury of their cruel and barbarous enemies ? It is said
this diabolical transaction was executed by orders from that arch-traitor and worst of villains T----- G---, whom posterity will forever curse, so long as his name shall be
remembered. -- This bloody battle was fought about four o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday the seventeenth of JUNE, one thousand seven hundred and seventy five,
between an advanced party of seven hundred Provincials, and fourteen regiments and a train of artillery, of the Ministerial forces, the former of whom after bearing about
two hours, with the utmost fortitude and bravery, as severe a fire as perhaps ever was known, and many having fired away all their ammunition, they were over-powered
by numbers, and obliged to leave the intrenchments, with three pieces of cannon, and retreat about sun-set to a small distance over Charlestown-neck. -- By the returns
made in the Provincial and Ministerial Armies it appears, that there were of the Provincials one major-general, one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, two captains, three
lieutenants, and ninety privates, killed, among which number, to the inexpressible grief of our whole army, is that honorable, renowned, and magnanimous Hero, MA-
JOR-GENERAL JOSEPH WARREN, Esquire, who commanded on this occasion, as also the brave and intrepid Colonels GARDNER and PARKER; there were one
lieutenant and two hundred and fifty privates wounded: Total killed and wounded three hundred and twenty four. -- On the side of the Regulars there were one
lieutenant-colonel, four majors, eleven captains, thirteen lieutenants, one ensign, one hundred and two serjeants, one hundred corporals, seven hundred and fifty-three
rank and file, killed; one quarter-master, three majors, fifteen captains, nineteen lieutenants, six ensigns, and five hundred and four wounded; Total of killed and
wounded, four hundred and fifty. -- The above account, which contains in substance as accurate a detail as can be collected from the different advices received from
Boston and elsewhere, of the transactions of both armies on that ever-memorable seventeenth of June, is here annexed to the proceeding Poem, and printed in this form
at the request of a great number of Friends to the AMERICAN CAUSE, to whom (but more especially those belonging to the Continental Army, who may have this
sheet very cheap) it is recommended to preserve, not only as a token of gratitude to their deceased Friends, we mean those immortal and heroic WORTHIES, who lately
so nobly bled in defence of the RIGHTS, LIBERTIES, and PRIVILEGES of NORTH-AMERICA: This sheet may be thought necessary to keep in eternal remembrance the
heroic BATTLE of CHARLESTOWN, where a few hundreds of Americans several times repulsed eight times their number of Ministerial Troops of Great-Britain.

[column 1]

ADIEU to wanton songs and foolish joys,
    To idle tales that fill the ear,
A mournful theme my heart employs,
    And hope the living will it hear.
A horrid fight there hap'd of late,
    'Twas on June seventeen,
When a great number met their fate
    In fighting on the green.
Yes, hundreds of poor souls are dead,
    In battle they were slain,
Both sides met with a heavy stroke,
    T' rehearse it gives me pain.
What shall we say when 'tis decreed,
    By fate it must be so?
To cause our dearest brethren's blood
    From ev'ry vein to flow,
Unless kind mercy interfere,
    Its gracious aid to lend;
O! may each Christian earnest pray
    There soon may be an end.
A fort was late erected at
    A place call'd BUNKER-HILL,
Where thousands of fierce Regulars
    Our people fought to kill.
But Scripture surely teaches us,
    As we at large may read,
That whoso takes the sword to kill
    By the same sword shall bleed.
Large cannon balls by hundreds flew,
    From ships and batt'ries plac'd
But our intrenchments and our lines
    These brave Calumbans grac'd.
The fight was fierce, the carnage great,
    When friends and foes by hundreds fell,
Alass! O dreadful to relate
    What on that day befell.
Whole ranks of Regulars were slain,
    Fresh troops their place supply'd,
In trying our strong lines to gain,
    But soon! ah! soon they dy'd.

[column 2]

A hostile bloody 'trench it was,
    The Regulars all say,
Tho' they exultingly rejoice
    That they have won the day.
A dear-bought victory they gain'd,
    If it is called so,
When most the flower of British troops
    Met with their overthrow.
Small was our loss compar'd with those
    Who now the lines possess;
Great was the slaughter of our foes,
    And poor was their success.
[Some?] say their loss of maim'd and slain
    Is fifteen hundred men;
Tis thought they never'll more attempt
    Our lines to force again.
We sore lament both one and all,
    In sackcloth let us mourn,
Brave General WARREN's hapless fate
    And weep upon his urn.
My trembling hand, my aking heart,
    O! how it throbs this day!
His loss is felt in ev'ry part
    Of vast America.
Ah! twice he wept the cruel fate
    Of murder'd brethren's blood!
Was spilt, as story doth relate,
    By a fierce, tyrant brood.
Twice did our HERO have applause
    From multitudes, who shouted loud,
When he maintain'd fair Freedon's cause,
    What plaudits had he from the crowd.
The list'ning world attention gave
    To ev'ry sound and word;
What spake this CÆSAR of the age,
    Much pleasure did afford.
His pensive brow, his honest heart,
    Such truths it did unfold,
When taking fair Calumba's part
    He sought not filthy gold.

[column 3]

His only study was the good
    Of country and of court;
He made his practice and delight,
    To Heaven for aid [resort?] .
The names of Gardner, Parker, Moors and West
    Let's mourn now o'er their grave,
Who late with courage did their best,
    And twice repuls'd the brave.
We feel and sympathize for them
    Who late in battle fell,
We mean those NINETY hardy men,
    Their names to ages tell
But O! poor Charlestown's dismal fate,
    Let floods of tears now [flow?] ,
A shocking scene thus to relate,
    Its fatal overthrow.
If that the LORD is on our side
    We need not fear our foe,
And if that gracious Isr'el's GOD
    Now with our armies go;
Our heads he'll cover when in sight,
    From harm he will us keep,
If that we seek his face aright,
    Nor let our feet to slip.
With conq'ring might he will us shield,
    And foes will all destroy,
He'll help us thus to win the field,
    And slay those that annoy
Let's seek the LORD by ways aright,
    Now while he may be found;
And not forsake the path that's right,
    Nor yet the gospel sound ;
"Then smiling trade with her fair train
    "Of blessings will cause;
"And Old-England glad to live
    "In concord with the New.
"Thus may the Patriot and the Sage
    "Live in much unity,
"O! What a joyful sight it is
    "For brethren to agree.

[column 4]

"If we believe that sacred writ,
    " 'Tis like to precious oyl;
"For why should we thus disagree,
    "And live in endless broil.
"For reformation let us strive,
    "Let's one and all now join,
"To serve the LORD with one accord,
    "With good Joshua combine:
"Who thus determin'd with his house
    "The LORD's favor to seek,
"And doubtless did a blessing find,
    "As he will bless the meek.
"He'll be with them that call on Him
    "By ways and means aright,
"And he'll not leave nor yet forsake
    "The heart that is contrite.
"New-England sees a dismal day
    "Of darkness and distress!
"May we not fear, alas! I say,
    "It's for our wickedness?
"Our sins more aggravated are
    "Than Sodom or of Lot,
"Then may we not expect to find
    "That death is in the pot?
"For sins reward it surely is,
    "Think of it as we may,
"If we forget to call on GOD,
    "And seek him in his way.
"His way is perfect and it leads
    "To purest rest and peace,
"His righteous paths will guide us straight
    "To realms of endless bliss.
"This day in sackcloth let us mourn,
    "Each one in ashes lay,
"And from our sins by fasting turn,
    "And seek CHRIST while we may.
"A blessing we may then expect
    "On trade and politics,
"If that we harden not our hearts,
    "Nor crooked bend our necks."


[column 5]

An ACROSTIC on the late Major-General
WARREN
Who was slain fighting for the LIBERTIES of AMERICA,
in the Battle of BUNKER HILL, on Saturday the se-
venteenth day of June, one thousand seven hun-
dred and seventy five.

J ust as JOSEPH took his flight
O nward to the realm of light,
S atan hurl'd his hellish darts,
E vil angels played their parts;
P iercy, Burgoyne, Howe, and Gage,
H over about infernal rage:

W ARREN step'd beyond their path,
A w'd by none, nor fear'd their wrath;
R an his race to joy and rest,
R ose amongst the loyal blest;
E nter'd in the rolls of fame,
N orth and Devil mist their aim.

SALEM: N.E Printed and Sold by E. RUSSELL, next to JOHN TURNER, Esq; in the Main-street. 1775.-- Travelling-Traders, &c. are desired to call at the
above place, where they may supply themselves with sundry New Piece on the Times, very cheap by the Quantity: They may also supply themselves with AL-
MANACKS, for 1776, which are now in the Press and will speedily be published. -- May likewise be had, Cheap Leather POCKET-BOOKS, with or without Clasps.