Commemorating Bunker Hill

June 17 marks the anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill, which was a British victory yet accounted an American one, at least on the level of symbolism and morale. Because the Revolutionaries stood their ground through two assaults and fought bitterly to resist the third before being forced to withdraw, this first full-fledged battle of the conflict gave the Revolutionaries hope that the movement would endure.

This 2010 cover from the typically over-the-top (but also often witty) New York Post actually captured the spirit of the event as well as many a historical tome.

The cornerstone of the great monument was laid on the anniversary of the battle in 1825, with Lafayette and Daniel Webster in attendance, though the 221-foot obelisk was not completed until 1843, after a long struggle for funding.

Over on the Tumblr, I have posted a series of depictions of the Monument. Just start with this first one from Bartlett's American Scenery and then click through to the following ones (or look for Bunker Hill using the search bar at the upper left of the page).