[Pamphlets. American history]

15
at hand, but he had the advantage of a natural ditch. (I.) The
defences, such as they were, could hardly have been completed
when the British made their attack.
There is no proof, and it is not probable that this formation
was effected by order of Putnam, or of Prescott. Its origin was
in the soldierly instinct of Stark, and it accomplished such protection of the left flank as Prescott had proposed to accomplish
when he sent out Knowlton and Gridley,-and a better protection.
To estimate all this properly there must be kept in mind the
imminence of the battle, the shortness of time, the excitement of
the action, and the confusion of the succeeding retreat. At such
times, and under such circumstances, minutes seem like hours, and
hours like minutes, and there are few men who can correctly relate
their own doings, and yet fewer who can describe what occurred
about them.
It is worthy of note, that such works as were that day constructed on Breed's Hill, have been found to be the most practically
effective defences in modern warfare.
Colonel Prescott, who commanded the original party, and
whose men had built the earthworks, naturally continued to
exercise immediate command over all the men at that, the most
important point. Colonel Stark, whose men had extemporized
the defences on the extreme left, as naturally commanded all who
were there. Captain Knowlton, who with the Connecticut men
finally took position between Prescott and Stark, (2.) may very
probably have deferred to General Putnam, who was his regimental commander. Each of these officers — Prescott, Stark and
Knowlton -recognized the fact that his was part of a general
line, and each did what he could to support those on his flanks;
and, after the action began, there was no occasion to give orders
for changing the general disposition.
By order of Major-General Ward, Colonel Prescott was origi1. Chester's letter describes Knowlton's barricade quite particularly. He
does not speak of hay, but mentions the stone wall and the natural ditch,
neither of which is described by those in the New Hampshire line.
2. Chester's letter. " We joined our army (? Conn. army) on the right of
the centre."