Also fascinating for those who love history is to go back and read first-hand accounts at the time of the battle:

Dearest Friend

The Day; perhaps the decisive Day is come on which the fate of America depends. My bursting Heart must find vent at my pen. I have just heard that our dear Friend Dr. Warren is no more but fell gloriously fighting for his Country -- saying better to die honourably in the field than ignominiously hang upon the Gallows. Great is our Loss. He has distinguished himself in every engagement, by his courage and fortitude, by animating the Soldiers and leading them on by his own example. A particuliar account of these dreadful, but I hope Glorious Days will be transmitted you, no doubt in the exactest manner.

The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Trust in him at all times, ye people pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us. -- Charlstown is laid in ashes. The Battle began upon our intrenchments upon Bunkers Hill, a Saturday morning about 3 o clock and has not ceased yet and tis now [illegible] 3 o'clock Sabbeth afternoon.

~

Abigail Adams (subscribed as "Portia") writes to her husband John (future 2nd POTUS) who was in Philadelphia attending the Second Continental Congress where on June 14 they had established the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as Commander-in-Chief.

*

... after tarrying
on parade till Nine at Night, we march'd down, on to Charles-
ton Hill against Copts hill in Boston, where we entrench'd
& made a Fort, ten Rod long, and eight wide, with a Breast
-work of about eight more, we work'd there undiscoverd till
about five in the Morning, then we saw our danger, being
against Ships of the Line, and all Boston fortified against
us, The danger we were in made us think there was treach
-ery and that we were brought there to be all slain, and I
must and will say that there was treachery oversight or
presumption in the Conduct of our Officers, for about 5 in the
morning, we not having more than half our fort done, they
began to fire (I suppose as soon as they had orders) pretty briskly
for a few minutes, then ceas'd but soon begun again, and
fird to the number of twenty minutes, (they killd but one of
our Men) then ceas'd to fire till about eleven
oClock when they
began to fire as brisk as ever, which caus'd many of our young
Country people to desert, apprehending the danger in a clearer
manner than others who were more diligent in digging, &
fortifying ourselves against them. We began to be almost
beat out, being fatigued by our Labour, having no sleep the
night before, very little to eat, no drink but rum, but what
we hazzarded our lives to get, we grew faint, Thirsty, hun
-gry and weary.

~ Private Peter Brown writing June 25, 1775, from Cambridge, Massachusetts to his mother, Sarah Brown, Newport, Rhode Island

*
Before the battle, they'd had no sleep the prior night, very little to eat and "no drink but rum." After Bunker Hill, Brown's unit marched to Cambridge where he wrote his mother. George Washington had been given his commission and arrived there at Cambridge and took command on July 3, 1775.

Truly fascinating stuff, Chris! Now, I'm gonna have to visit the local library to see if I can find a copy of Oliver Wiswell ... AND Northwest Passage. :-)

One other thing about this article is that it shows the messiness and incompetence that accompanies all war. I’m a military history nut and it holds true throughout history. The history that is indeed written by the winners.

It’s not that any of these MAGA morons would ever vote Democratic but staying home on Election Day is a thing.

To some degree, you omitted for brevity's sake the propaganda value of the battle at the time: yes, the Americans had to retreat, but the British forces were decimated by the first two volleys of the 'rabble in arms'. As with the Concord skirmishes a month or two before, the battle was touted as showing that yes, American militias could actually stand up to, and bruise or repel, the fabled British regulars.

All's well that ends well, as you note: in the end, the British could not hold Boston without defending all the surrounding high ground, and they had to evacuate eventually - moving on to New York, which they captured and defended easily, and then on to further misadventures in the Mid-Atlantic and the South.

The whole Revolutionary War has, as you say, been prettied up for popular schoolchild consumption and patriotic sentiment. But I did read Kenneth Roberts' books, and I do remember learning at an early age just how complex, dirty, and confused the military struggle was -- compared to the 'highlights' version epitomized by Leutze's immortal heroic painting, 'Washington Crossing the Delaware.'

Again, thanks for this commemoration of Bunker Hill - no, you can't change the name by now!