Key Facts
- Duration
- ~11 months (Apr 19, 1775 – Mar 17, 1776)
- British casualties at Bunker Hill
- ~1,160
- American casualties at Bunker Hill
- ~469
- British evacuation destination
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Key artillery source
- Fort Ticonderoga (cannon transported by Henry Knox)
Strategic Narrative Overview
After the costly British seizure of Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill in June 1775, which yielded heavy casualties on both sides without breaking the American encirclement, the siege settled into skirmishes, raids, and sniper fire. American forces on land and sea increasingly disrupted British supply lines. In January 1776, Henry Knox delivered artillery captured at Fort Ticonderoga, enabling Washington to fortify Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston harbor.
01 / The Origins
Following the first engagements of the American Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, Massachusetts militias moved quickly to block British land access to Boston. The Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, formally established the Continental Army from these militias, and appointed George Washington as commander in chief, setting the stage for a prolonged siege of the British garrison holding the city.
03 / The Outcome
With cannon on Dorchester Heights threatening to sever the British naval supply line, General William Howe judged his position indefensible. On March 17, 1776, British forces evacuated Boston, sailing north to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The departure ended the siege, delivered Boston to American control, and marked the first significant strategic success for the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
George Washington, Henry Knox.
Side B
1 belligerent
William Howe.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.