harlestown, and across the narrow river the larger town of
Boston, with its heights and house-tops already crowded by
non-combatants, viewing the field that was prepared for the slaughter.
It was all in bright and warm weather, under a cloudless sky. Since the
world began, there had been few battle-fields so spectacularly laid out.

At last the bustle in Boston's streets produced results. From the
wharves pushed out into the placid water the boats of the fleet, loaded
to the gunwales with soldiers in full equipment. As they neared the
Charlestown shore, the fire upon the redoubt was doubled, and under its
cover the troops landed upon Moulton's Point. There Howe at first
deployed them, but after inspecting the ground sent back for
reinforcements. For the men in the redoubt there were two more hours of
waiting.

Those two hours very nearly decided the fate of the struggle, for had
Howe moved immediately to the assault there could have been no such
resistance offered him as later he met. Prescott decided to send to
Cambridge for reinforcements; but such was the confusion that the
messenger could get no horse, and had to walk the six miles to
headquarters. There he was ill received, for Ward, who during the whole
day did not leave his house, feared an attack on Cambridge, dreaded to
deplete his supply of powder, and only upon repeated representations
ordered a couple of regiments in support of Prescott. These regiments
had to draw their powder and make up their cartridges, and arrived when
the battle was just about to begin.

The student of this day finds it difficult to disentangle the varied
accounts. Who was on the field and who was not, what part was taken by
each, who was in command at this point and who there, and the total of
men engaged, all either were or still are disputed points. It seems to
be beyond doubt, however, that Prescott from the first was in command at
the redoubt, and that Putnam assumed, and tried to execute, general
oversight of the field of contest outside the redoubt and beyond the
breastwork.

While Howe's troops lunched quietly at Moulton's Point, the aspect of
affairs for the Americans became brighter. Prescott, seeing that he must
have better protection toward the Mystic River, ordered a detachment of
Connecticut troops, under Captain Knowlton, and with them six
field-pieces--which seem to have figured not at all in the result--to
"go and oppose" the enemy. Avoiding a marshy spot of ground