1776 by David McCullough

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The generals knew at that time they were really underprepared for the battle that would come. They had little ammunition and the army didn’t know what they were doing. Even without expert engineers, however, George Washington built bigger fortifications.

The men were mostly from New England, knew little but how to drink, carouse, and whore around. Their tents were not organized. They didn’t have any uniforms to show that they were all one. They would leave to see their families and go have fun without permission so they had no respect, or good authority. Some of their explanations they had were understandable like making sure there family was alive and had plenty of food, they also helped get in the crops, but the lack of discipline in this “army” is astounding. Then diseases, such as typhoid and dysentery, spread throughout the camps. This was mostly due to their poor hygiene like places they would sleep or defecate such as nearby sewers and ditches which weren’t sanitary at all. The British commanders, Howe and Gage, debated strategies for taking over Boston. They all agreed that Dorchester Heights was necessary for its safety and security, including Americans, but no one attempted to take it. They dreamed of destroying and burning Boston to the ground in fact, the entire coastline, but instead they gave up Bunker Hill and went in for the long winter.

Digging in, however, was not as simple as it sounded. The British were not used to the winter we had in America, and people actually froze to death while standing watch.

The British officers fared much better. They tore down houses for firewood and turned the Old South Church into a place for horses and other kinds of entertainment. Another fine building was converted to a playhouse where they viewed Shakespeare, among other things. One night while viewing a farce with “General Washington” and his rusty sword as the “star,” loud booms were heard. The crowd laughed, thinking the boom was part of the show. It was not. The Americans were bombing Charleston.

One important difference lay between the American military and the British. The colonists, like Nathanael Greene, moved through the ranks based on ability, while many of the English got their commissions through political relationships or cash. Another difference was the lackadaisical attitude held on the part of the British—a sort of surety that beating this Yankees would be no trouble in the end. This was particularly seen in General Howe who’d been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.