whether I escaped or not
since that friend of the Cause, he who was ever the kindly gentleman and
true son of the colony, had been killed even when the battle was at an
end.

It was to my mind more like being murdered than having been killed in
fair fight, and I shouted to those around me that we should turn about
and avenge his death, when Hiram seized me by the shirt collar, forcing
me on in front of him as he swore that unless I put forth my best
efforts he would strangle me.

I was not the only one fleeing toward Charlestown Neck pursued by the
lobster backs, who was much the same as crazy. We were mad with
disappointment, frenzied by the thought that all this had come about
because we lacked the means of finishing the battle as it had been
begun.

And now right here let me set down what we afterward learned was the
cost in blood of this engagement at Breed's hill. Our officers reported
that one hundred and fifteen had been killed or were missing; three
hundred and five wounded, and thirty taken prisoners, making in all a
total of four hundred and fifty who had either given up their lives, or
were suffering from wounds. The most serious of our losses, as it seemed
to me, was the death of Doctor Warren. Colonel Gridley was wounded; but
had been carried by our people from the field.

General Gage reported to the British Government that two hundred and
twenty-six of his men had been killed; eight hundred and twenty-eight
wounded, making in all ten hundred and fifty-four as against our four
hundred and fifty. Among the British were killed eighty-nine officers.

About four hundred buildings in Charlestown were burned by the British,
and the estimated money loss was six hundred thousand dollars.

I have put this in here lest I forget to make mention of the fact, that
in what the Britishers set down as a victory they lost twice and a half
as many men as we, and all that had been gained by this outpouring of
blood were the hastily constructed works which we had thrown up on
Breed's hill.

And now to continue my feeble attempt at telling what part we Minute
Boys of Boston took in that terrible retreat.

I believe of a verity that had it not been for Hiram Griffin some, if
not all, of us would have fallen into the hands of the lobster backs,
for it is true that we were sadly confused--frightened if you choose to
put it in such words, and had so far lost mastery of ourselves that but
for his holding us up sharply to