Jim Butcher (American, B. 1944) "The Battle of Bunker Hill" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Canvas. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 18c Yorktown & Lexington/Concord stamp issues of October 16, 1981. On June 17, 1775, British regulars defeated a hastily assembled group of American colonists at the Battle of Bunker Hill on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. The British paid dearly for their victory, for about half the troops used in the attack were killed or wounded. When the smoke had cleared, Bunker Hill ran red with the coats of 1,054 dead and wounded British soldiers. The Americans, poorly trained and ill-equipped, although suffering over 400 casualties, proved they could stand and fight effectively in the face of a vastly superior force. The stage for the battle was set when the Americans fortified a hill overlooking Boston, with the idea of establishing an artillery outpost. Since this threatened the British troops quartered in the city, General William Howe attacked the American position with waves of Redcoats, 300 men abreast, marching up the hill to the precise cadence of military drums. Twice the British were beaten back with heavy casualties in the face of the Americans' deadly musketry. Nearly out of ammunition, the defenders were unable to resist the third and final British assault. Image Size: 16 x 15.75 in. Overall Size: 20 x 20 in. Unframed. (B07282)