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Bunker Hill -
17th June 1775
Among those Sons of Liberty who rallied ‘round the flags of
Liberty were large numbers of Irish. Historian Michael J.
O’Brien wrote of The Irish at the Battle of Bunker Hill (17 June
1775), most notably of Dr. Joseph Warren. O’Brien also
wrote of the Irish contribution to many other aspects of the
achievement and defense of the Independence of the United
States. His research confirmed that the Irish in America, from
Richard Montgomery, Anthony Wayne and John Sullivan, to Stephen
Moylan, Daniel Morgan, Timothy Murphy and Hercules Mulligan, and
to many who lie in unmarked Patriot graves, volunteered for the
Patriot cause in greater proportion to their numbers in the
population than probably any other group.
“Don’t shoot ‘till you see the whites of their eyes!”
Bunker Hill
by Don Troiani
Here stand the raw American
militia in the main redoubt at Breed's Hill as they are about to
fire upon the seemingly endless advancing ranks of British
regulars. The President of the Massachusetts Provincial
Congress, Dr. Joseph Warren is the senior officer present, here
standing on the rampart, encouraging his fellow Patriots
throughout the battle. Warren would be killed during the third
and final assault, after the defenders’ ammunition had begun to
run out. Colonel Prescott stands on the works with his sword
ready to give the famous command that would reshape American
history forever.
United in the face of a common enemy (1775/76), the American
Patriots soon realized that the success of their defense of
Liberty would require the putting aside of many old differences;
in State after State freedom of conscience in worship and in
speech replaced old laws and practices regarding the
establishment of religion. Americans in every State were
determined that an alien government should not have the
opportunity to foster differences which had divided a minority
from the majority in the past (as, in fact, the English would
attempt during the course of the conflict). These freedoms
would later be enshrined in the Constitution of the United
States of America, under the First Amendment (“Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances.” American “Bill of Rights” – Ratified 15
December 1791).
The words of the American Declaration of Independence, 4th
of July 1776, which should be music to the ears of decent men
everywhere, were particularly sweet to the Irish, for whom the
experience of tyranny had been first-hand in their homeland.
[In part: “…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure
these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed. That
whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it,
and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such
principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them
shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness….”]
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