The Battle of Bunker Hill took place during the Siege of Boston. Under the command of William Prescott, 1,500 colonial troops occupied Bunker and Breed Hills in anticipation of the arrival of British forces, which attacked on June 17, 1775. The British successfully drove the Americans from their positions. However, they lost close to half of their force, about 1,150 soldiers, due to death and injury. In comparison, the American side had approximately 450 killed or wounded. The engagement showed that American forces were capable of standing up to the British regulars, not just through guerilla warfare, but also on the battlefield
The stamp shown here portrays a painting by John Trumbull that features Major General Joseph Warren dying of wounds which he had sustained during the battle, while American Colonel Thomas Knowlton stands over him with a rifle. The stamp commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
