The Seat of War in New England

The Battle of Bunker Hill was a crucial turning point in the American Revolution, demonstrating the irreconcilable rift between Great Britain and the American colonies. It is no wonder, then, that Bunker Hill looms large in the historical memory of the American Revolution on both sides of the Atlantic. This map, published in London by Sayer & Bennett in September of 1775, just three months after the battle, is among the earliest pictorial accounts of the Battle of Bunker Hill, and is considered to be the best contemporary pictorial account of the conflict. Sayer & Bennett also published broadsides, and this map can be understood in the same context. Their dramatic portrayal of the conflict shows Charlestown in flames and the publishers credit the perspective to an anonymous “American volunteer.” The map also includes the movement of colonial troops in and around Boston, including Washington’s army (look for the tiny figures and horses in Lexington & Concord), the New Hampshire Rangers, and a Connecticut Militia from the South. When you consider the fact that news of the battle only traveled as fast as ships could sail from Boston to London (typically a three to four week journey), this map would have been crucial to the British public’s early understanding of the theatre of war and the nature of the first skirmishes and battles.