In June of 1775, a very tired Joseph Warren woke up. His head was pounding, and his heart was greatly troubled. The night had been long; he spent it drinking an absurd amount of wine and obtaining almost no sleep. Still, he knew there was a battle taking place, and he must be there to fight for the cause of freedom. He got up, put on his ordinary, everyday clothes, grabbed a book of poetry, and rode his horse to Breed's Hill.
Joseph Warren wasn't a soldier by nature. He was born the son of a thrifty farmer. In 1759 he graduated from Harvard and, after a year of teaching grammar school, became an apprentice to Dr. James Lloyd. In 1764 he became Dr. Joseph Warren, a well respected Boston physician. Like everyone else, he got married and had children. He spent enjoyable evenings talking with his good friend Paul Revere. He published articles in the Gazette about local politics. Life was rather simple and enjoyable.
That was, until history changed everything. For many colonists, life under British rule was growing intolerable. For years the Sons of Liberty and private citizens had been campaigning to stop English tyranny and working in vain to repeal one unfair tax after another, to remove the military presence of Lobsterbacks, and to open the ports to free trade. Many were unsure if the next step was the one they wanted.
In the year 1775, tensions between the Americans and the British had escalated to the point of war. The Declaration of Independence would not be ratified for another year, but it hardly mattered. The famous "shot heard around the world" had been fired in April, and with it the colonial cry of independence rang out loud and clear. The Battle of Lexington and Concord had turned the world upside down. The mighty English, who had once ruled over the colonies, were held captive in the town of Boston. They were desperate.
The British general Thomas Gage was irate. In June of 1775, he sent his Redcoats to take Breed's Hill, the highest point of Charles Town, Boston's neighbor across the harbor. How could they lose to farmers and merchants? The Americans heard the enemy was going to take the hill, so they immediately fortified the area with earthen breastworks. Of course, this was exactly what the British were talking about. Ordinary people using dirt as a means of defense. It was madness. They were almost laughing as they advanced through Boston, burning the town, and charging the hill, dressed in full military uniforms, marching in linear formations.
Joseph Warren knew that this was the moment. The decision had not been easy.
True, he had already rebelled against England, but there were other things to consider. His friend and colleague, James Otis, had asked of him, "What will happen if you should fall?" Dr. Warren was a father of four children. His wife had died, which would leave them orphans if he were to die. Besides, Dr. Warren had spent his professional career saving lives. How could he now be responsible for taking them?
If he were lost, would the country have an adequate doctor?
This is why he was up late, drinking. His decision had been made, and though he knew it was the right one, it was still incredibly difficult to carry out. Nonetheless, he rode to Breed's Hill and fought valiantly against the British. As men died all around him, he gave everything he had, until he was one of the last soldiers remaining. In the finale struggle, when it looked as if America could win, a bullet hit the back of his head, killing him instantly. The Battle of Bunker Hill was over in American defeat. Dr. Warren's face was dismantled beyond recognition, and his good friend Paul Revere, who was the local dentist, had to look into his mouth to identify the body. The book of poetry was still in his pocket.
The death of Dr. Warren was a single tragedy among many throughout the war. Though he fell, there were others to carry on where he left off. Countless men, and even some women, fought the British until America was free. Several members of the Sons of Liberty went on to hold important positions within government. Dr. Warren's brother, John, became a physician and tended the wounded throughout the war. He practiced medicine for 40 years. Joseph Warren's children faired well. Of all people, Benedict Arnold gave the four orphans $500.00 toward their education, and petitioned Congress to give them the amount of a major-general's half-pay, to be applied to their support from the date of the father's death until the youngest child should be of age. As for America, well, we know how that turned out.
