“The Minutemen”
Not long after the Boston Tea Party, the British government set into place a number of new Act and Rules and Taxes intended to break the backs and spirits of the colonists. In response, the colonists appointed representative to try and speak to the British authorities to reconsider and repeal the laws – but they would not listen. So, the colonists were forced to form groups of men to defend their cities. These defenders had to be ready, prepared to fight in a minute’s notice – so they came to be known as “Minutemen”; and it wasn’t long until those Minutemen were called to their assigned task.
You see, the British had plans to occupy Bunker Hill because of its strategic position. It was across the Charles River from the city of Boston and they knew that from this vantage point they can more easily capture that city and the surrounding area. But before the British could take that Hill, the Minutemen of Boston found out their plan. Under the leadership of General William Prescott, the Minutemen moved up to Bunker Hill to defend it. They began to dig ditches and build great walls of dirt to protect them from the British onslaught which would surely come.
When the British military leaders discovered what these Minutemen were doing, they began to shower Bunker Hill with their powerful cannons from their battleships in the harbor. During this onslaught the Minutemen faithfully continued in their work building up the dirt walls. Even as the Redcoats formed their columns below and the massive British forces began to move into a position to attack, even then the digging still continued.
Then, as the church bell struck three o’clock, thousands of British soldiers began to move up Bunker Hill. As the Minutemen watched the columns of Redcoats move closer and closer and heard the beatings of the war drums, all they could do was to pray that somehow God would deliver them from certain defeat and death. But General Prescott watched and waited as the massive army moved up higher, closer; he knew that this army of volunteers had only a limited amount of ammunition and could not fire until they literally saw the whites of the British soldier’s eyes.
And then, what seemed at the final moment, Prescott gave the order, “fire”, and the whole top of Bunker Hill exploded in a sheet of gunfire. The British army was devastated with as many as nine and ten soldiers in each company wounded or dead. As they pulled back down the Hill, some of the colonists sighed in relief, “Was the battle now over?”
But after only a brief time to reorganize, the British drums began to beat again and a new fresh line of Redcoats made their way up the Hill, literally walking over their own dead and wounded. This time Prescott held back his order to fire until the British soldiers were even closer – twice as close as before – then came the order again, “fire”, and almost the entire British front rank was destroyed. Those who could move back down the Hill.
The Minuteman checked their ammunition – it was almost gone. They passed around what was left of their ammo and waited to see what would happen. There was a slight pause, a time to think, a time to reflect on one’s life and death, a time to try, a time to wonder, “Was it really worth all this? Was the British rule really that bad?”
In far too short a moment the wait was over. Unbelievably, the British army was preparing for a third attack. With bayonets drawn and attached, the Redcoats removed their heavy field packs, and this time when the word was given to attack, they came on the run with their bayonets leveled.
The Minutemen fired the last of their ammo, but this time the British soldiers would not be stopped. They came up into the trenches, and as they did, the Minutemen with bayonets fought hand to hand while those with ammo left stood back and took aim – there was death everywhere. The Minutemen stood their ground until, finally, General Prescott ordered those still alive and able to pull back down the Hill – the Battle for Bunker Hill was over. The British had taken Bunker Hill, but at a terrible price. Of the 2,200 British soldiers fighting, almost half had been killed or wounded – 441 Minutemen had died, but they had proven to the British and to themselves that with God’s help they could stand toe to toe against the most powerful army in the world.
But was it the guns and weapons that saved the colonists that day? Was it all just as simple as “Whoever has the most guns wins?” The Minutemen knew the answer. One of the Minutemen, a corporal Amos Farnsworth, after the battle wrote these words in his diary. He said, “Oh the goodness of God for saving my life. Although they fell on my right hand and on my left, what a wonderful act of deliverance God gave to me. God, lead me to never distrust Thee. May I never trust solely in my arm of flesh.” Corporal Farnsworth knew just who had saved him.
You see, it’s the powerful Hand of Almighty God that keeps our nation going, and I believe the reason we are suffering so much in our nation today is because we have pushed Him aside as a nation; and I believe that if we do not remedy this now and put Him back in his rightful place as the true Father of our nation, sadly, soon, we will be through.
What do you think? Let me know by emailing me at jerry@jerrystewartusa.com.