On Tuesday, April 9th at 7:30 PM at the Fisher Schoolhouse, the Westwood Historical Society will present a program on the Battle of Bunker Hill featuring noted speaker Gary Hylander.
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775 in the early stages of the American Revolution. The British wanted to capture Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill to gain complete control of Boston Harbor. When the colonists learned that the British generals planned to send troops to seize the hills, they sent 1200 troops under the command of William Prescott to occupy and defend them. The colonists successfully withstood two British assaults on their lines. On the third assault, the colonists had run out of ammunition and the British finally captured the hills. The victory was a Pyrrhic one as the British won at great
cost, suffering 1054 casualties; 226 dead and 828 wounded. Despite their loss, the battle was a significant morale builder for the inexperienced Americans. Of
special interest is that Robert Steele, a Westwood resident, served as drummer boy during the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Gary L. Hylander earned his Ph.D. at Boston College. His advisor and dissertation director was the noted Boston historian, Thomas H. O’Connor. Dr. Hylander is a professor of American History at Stonehill College where he
specializes as a Presidential Historian. Gary is a frequent presenter at library forums, historical societies, senior living centers, and civic and professional organizations.