Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p1.djvu/196

166  one of the ships that covered the attack on Bunker’s Hill, a which place the Americans had collected in great force under General Putnam, and thrown up some strong redoubts. General Gage, who commanded in Boston, ordered the Generals Howe, Clinton, and Pigot, with about 2000 troops, to attack the enemy’s works, which were carried at the point of the bayonet, after an obstinate resistance. It was, however, a dear bought victory; 226 of the British were slain, 19 of whom were commissioned officers, and upwards of 800 wounded. Only 30 wounded rebels and a few pieces of cannon were taken. This affair caused the flame of war to blaze over the whole continent of America.

We next find Lieutenant Thornbrough engaged in an attempt to bring off a schooner that had been chaced by the Falcon into Cape Ann Harbour, where she ran aground. On the boats boarding her, the Americans opened a heavy fire from the shore, by which 3 men were killed, and several wounded; among the latter was Lieutenant Thornbrough, who was conveyed back to the Falcon in the only boat that had escaped destruction from the enemy’s shot. The remainder of the party, 36 in number, having expended all their 