A History Hit special marking the 250th anniversary of the Siege of Boston (1775-1776), the first chapter in the eight year war for American Independence. It saw the war’s first pitched battle, Bunker Hill - a bloody day and a hollow British victory, won at great cost.

Dan Snow joins American experts to explore this turning point in the drive for independence, when skirmishes fought by militia turned into a fully-formed military campaign, as colonial forces laid siege on Boston for 11 months while the British Army tried desperately to maintain control of the town and the harbour.

A Virginian, called George Washington, arrived in July 1775 to take charge of the newly formed Continental Army. It was the birth of the United States Army.

And Dan gets hands on with the frontline tactics of the time, drilling with a British re-enactment unit to discover how his Majesty’s troops maintained discipline in the teeth of heavy fire.

History Hit is tracing key events in the War of Independence - exploring the ground with experts, experiencing the conditions and digging deep into real events. We plan to continue to do this over the course of the 250th anniversaries of this defining conflict in the coming years.

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More information about the places featured in this film:

Once again we received superb assistance from the National Parks Service
https://www.nps.gov/bost/learn/historyculture/bhm.htm
https://www.nps.gov/long/index.htm

The Museum of the First Corps of Cadets is a fascinating visit - it requires an appointment:
https://www.vafcc.org/