Dear Gent.

The Governors Letter You will receive by the Express, had introduced the Action commenced at Charlestown on Saty Morng last, & stopd to wait further Intelligences having then (a few hours since) a very broken Acct of the Matter, he will himself add I suppose what further is just come by Cap Elij. Hyde of this Town, the sum of his Information as I recollect it, is, viz about 1500, of the Massachusetts & Connecticut Troops by Order possesd Them selves of Bunkers Hill Fryday night, & had made great Progress, in intrenchments, by the Light of next momg but not prepared to use what small Cannon they had, soon as they were discovered the Ships within reach, & a number of floating Batterys mounted with Cannon, which had been prepared began a heavy Fire upon them, but did not greatly annoy Them at first, about Two thousand regular Troops also immediately crosed over to Charlestown, & set the Town in Flames in various parts (which all but a few scattered Houses is consumed) & approached to Attack the Hill, The Provincials sent of[f] for reinforcements & in the mean Time bravely repulsed the Enemy  Recruits arrived before they had got very near, & kept their Fire tho perpetually fired upon, till the Enemy got within abt 15 rods & then gave it a full loose brodside as They conceive very great Destruction upon them mowing down whole ranks of them 12 deep, till They began to retreat apace, & the left of our Troops leapd their breastwork of a rail fence & pursued them fast abt 20 rods, when perceiving their own right gave way, (which tis found was occasioned by Genl [Seth] Pumroys [Pomeroy], ordering them, who were then in Front & had been on Fatigue all night faint & hungry, to give back, intending only to make room for recruits just come up, but in the Confusion it was misunderstood & they all retreated on that wing) our Troops perceiving their right to be giving back, & at the same Time a large Detachment of the Regulars who had unperceived, made a large circular march to the westward partly across Greens Hill above Them forcing into their Post & Intrenchment which they had almost deserted, it was apparently prudent & necessary all to retreat which they did, without precipitation carrying off all their wounded men, & possessed themselves of Greens Hill next above Bunkers, which they are now holding & fortifying & have done much to strengthen, leaving the latter in possession of the Enemy which They are also fortifying, & firing of the Cannon continued by turns, when Mr Hyde left the Camp yesterday Morng 10, oClo, some of our Soldiers Packs & Baggage fell into the Enemys hands, the Tools perhaps all & two or 3 field peices all they had with Them, as near as co'd be come at We had lost in all between 40 & 70 killd & 140 wounded, They have lost tis not doubted many more, but We know not the Number a man escaped from Boston says he saw them land 500 wounded Men, among our wounded is Colo [Thomas] Gardner dangerqusly in the groin & Hip, Lt Tho. Grosvenor of Pomfret, badly in the left hand, the author of my News knows not any Officer beside wounded & does not mention any killed.

The ardor of Dear Dr Warren cod not be restrained by the intreaty of his Brethern of the Congress &c & He is, alass! among the slain. may eternal Happiness be his eternal Portion. Genl [Israel] Putnams Regimts were all in the Action save Cap [Ebenezer] Moseley & [Samuel] Cowper who were absent on some other Duty. Our Troops are in exceeding high Spirits & their Resolution increases, they long to speak with them again & when the reinforcement was called for it was difficult to keep any back. it was reported & believed some hours, that Cap [John] Chester & Cap [Israel] Putnam [Jr.] were killed but is a mistake as to both I receive it that Genl Putnam commanded our Troops perhaps not in chief & tis said is wounded but believe tis not so. cannot learn who commanded the Regulars, nor who is killd among them.

The same night another Detachment of our Forces began to entrench on Dorchester Hill & a pretense of attack & resistance was made by the Regulars but nothing more done but firing & throwing Carcases into Roxbury which did some Mischief to the Houses, but burnt none, & killd one Middletown Soldier. They have, tis said, ceased their Works by Genl [John] Thomass Order, but keep it guarded. What the next Effort will be we know not, but hope to be prepard to resist it, one thing hinted at in his Honors Letter is wanted much. Your most worthy Body, will not cease Your utmost in the Cause, which We are far from dispairing of, have sketched this imperfect narative in great [blurred] & composed my self for that only. Your Wisdom & Time will be all imployed for the whole, for those in a nearer situation &c who must feel more sensibly than perhaps tis possible for remote Colonies.

We have & wish no quarrel with the King, but only the despotic Power of Parliament.

wod not another pathetic Address to the People of Great Britain, be of some Avail, & also to the People of Ireland.

We have great Reason to bless the N rune of our God for so great a degree of success & advantage as we have had in the last as well as former Conflicts & to be deeply humbled for our Sins. We rejoice that you have supported a Day of Fasting &c.

I am Dr Gent. Your & our Countrys Friend &c

Hon E Dyer Esqr &c

[P.S.] have heard Col [John] Hancock is impatient to get into the Army, I rather think his Duty calls him to abide where he is at present.

[Addressed] To The Honble  Eliphalet Dyer  Roger Sherman & Silas Deane Esqrs

P Express