Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Battle of Bunker Hill (Part 1)

Colonel Samuel Kim stood on a box in front of the 400 men that was loaned to him. The militiamen were finishing up the defenses on Breed Hill, which under the officer's command, primarily consisted of trenches and stakes to protect the defenders and slow down direct charges. The men in front of him were not soldiers, but civilians in arms. He suspected that most of them were ordinary farmers or frontiersmen that had experience in shooting, which was logical as they were more likely to use their muskets and rifles to hunt or fight against Native American tribes. Regardless, even if they were all more "experienced" than other militiamen, they were a far cry from the professional soldiers that the United States would field in the coming centuries. It didn't help that the United States didn't even exist as of yet and the men under his command identified themselves with their colonies.

"Alright!" Colonel Kim raised his voice to draw the attention of the men that were whispering amongst themselves, "Some of you may be wondering why you are now under my command for the upcoming battle. I have no doubts that you are more surprised at the fact that I, a man of Asian descent, will be your officer for the time being."

Mutters and nods were widespread throughout the ranks, with some looking skeptical at the colonel that was dressed like a British officer. He grimaced, but looked upon the crowd determinedly from his position, "That is because I am here to fight for your colonies, your homes, and your loved ones. I may look like a stranger, and to an extent, I am a stranger. However, I have been given the task to help defend your lands from the British, and I will carry out that duty to the end."

"All you most likely have varying reasons for joining your militias and fighting against the British. Some of you believe that the British are invaders, entrenching themselves in a land that is not theirs. Some of you might be here because you seek glory or fame. Others may be here because you were forced or convinced by your neighbors or loved ones. Regardless, all of you are standing here today, united under the banner of defeating the British. And in the end, that will be all that matters."

The Asian-American stepped off the box and stood face to face with the men at the front, "If you think for a moment that the British will stop after seizing Boston, then rid yourself of such delusions immediately. If they defeat us today, the Redcoats will seize Boston and march into surrounding colonies. They will occupy your homes, force you to quarter them, and punish you for daring to fight against the Crown. No matter the reason for your presence here today, you will be fighting not for your own reasons, but for your lives. Your lives to exist and live. The 400 of you have been gathered from the surrounding colonies and are unfamiliar with one another, so I do not expect you to act friendly to one another immediately. However, for the time being, we have a common cause to fight for and all of you here have selected for being the very best that your colonies have to offer."

Colonel Kim noted that some of the men straightened their postures and looked proud at the statement. He let out an internal sigh of relief at the sight. If he was going to lead these forces into battle, he needed them to understand what they were fighting for and remain solidly under his command. They had precious little time before the British started their assault, so he quickened his speech. "So men of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut let us fight! Let the British underestimate you, for that will be their greatest mistake! None of you here are professional soldiers, but you are fighting for a cause greater than the cause of the Redcoats: for the livelihood of your colonies, your people, and yourself! So come unite together and fight! And even if I am a stranger, let us come together and resist! Show them that none of you are to be trifled with!"

Surprisingly, most of the men raised their entrenching tools and weapons and cried out affirmatively. The men looked up to the colonel with a determined gleam in their eyes and newfound respect. He grinned at the men under him and pulled out his own rifle. "For this battle, you will be part of the First Marine Regiment, the first regiment to have men from differing colonies stand united! We are the first line of defense and you have been told our plan for defense! We will make them pay for every inch of Breed Hill and be the hammer to break them once they retreat! So men of the First Marine Regiment, take your positions! Prepare yourself for battle and resist! For victory!"

"For victory!"

After his speech, the group scattered and began to take their positions within the trenches, as Colonel Kim instructed them. He was aware of the line battles that were common in this period, but the militiamen were not soldiers and he did not want them to take unnecessary casualties. The trenches would protect them from naval fire and small arms fire and help the militiamen steady their aim while firing. As he instructed several of them to spread out evenly throughout the trenches, a militiaman dressed in modest clothes and a colonial hat came up to him, "That was some speech, Colonel. I had my reservations before, but now I'm beginning to believe that you are the right man for the job."

The colonial stuck out his hand for the officer to shake, and Colonel Kim shook the hand firmly, "Colonel William Kim, unofficially part of the Connecticut Militia. May I ask for your name?"

"Doctor Joseph Warren. I was commissioned to be a major general but today, I am fighting as a private with the Massachusetts Militia,"

At the man's reply, Colonel Kim's eyes widened. He was well aware of who the man was and knew of his fate in the original Battle of Bunker Hill. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Warren. Let us hope we achieve victory together on the battlefield today."

Just then, an explosion rocked the surrounding area as a crater materialized in front of the trenches. When the two men looked towards the shores, they saw the British slowly unloading from their boats and forming ranks. Oddly, Warren chuckled and gripped his musket tightly, "When you spoke to the men back there, were you speaking truthfully, Colonel? About standing united against Britain and fighting for our future?"

"I meant every word of what I said, Dr. Warren. Hopefully one day, the colonies will be able to unite as one and realize the true threat to their livelihood." Colonel Kim answered, his thoughts wandering to the formation of the United States.

"Then we are in good hands. I am proud to be part of this "First Marine Regiment" and fight alongside you, Colonel Kim. And I'm sure all the men here think the same," Warren bowed respectfully before moving into a position within the trenches.

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"Please wait a moment, Dr. Warren," Colonel Kim placed the Garand down on the ground and rifled the bag he was given by General Putnam. He pulled out a battle flag and attached it to a pole that was provided to him. The flag displayed the original Marine flag design, but with the words stating "First Marine Regiment of America." "If would like for you to be the standard barrier for the regiment. Hopefully, this flag will fly on even after this battle ends."

Warren looked at the flag intriguingly but nodded his head. "It will be my honor."

After the major general/private left to walk through the trenches waving the flag, the Marine officer looked through his supplies as the British bombardment picked up. For the Garand, he had 20 clips of ammunition, good for 160 total shots. In his mind, he was already thinking of aiming at the senior officers and infantrymen in order to throw the British in disarray. In addition to this, he had five frag grenades, a flare, and a medkit for emergency treatment. On top of all this, there was a single note written on a piece of paper. The paper addressed Colonel Kim directly and held some answers to his presence in the past. He had read the paper before, but he read it again for reassurance.

"To Lieutenant, now Colonel, Kim of the United States Marine Corps,

Undoubtedly, you are confused about how you were brought to the past and why you have been thrown into the midst of the Revolutionary War. All I (and you may choose to imagine who "I" am) can inform you about this matter is that you have been tasked to change the United States for the better. The United States was a nation founded on many promising and great ideals, yet those ideals were exclusive and America was neither the home of the free or the brave for all for the longest amount of time.

You have been given tools (and you will receive more tools as time goes on) to help change the fate of the United States. You are aware of your nation's history and the tragic mistakes it will make, sometimes intentional and sometimes accidental. Your task is to change the United States so that it is a land for every one of its citizens as early as possible, and become a "Watcher" for the nation as it moves into the future. Help change the lives and views of those around you and proceed to expand your influence across all the colonies. As I said, you will be given the necessary tools (weapons, clothes, etc) to achieve this. Your first test will be here, at Breed Hill.

It will be difficult and a long, painstaking process. But I am hopeful that you will change America and help her throughout the ages, changing not only America's destiny but the world's destiny.

I will be watching carefully. And as you said, perhaps God is a Yankee."

Folding the note into his pocket, Colonel Kim prepared his gear and stepped into the trenches along with his men. The bombardment continued for half an hour longer before the British began their march towards the hill.

Looking around, he saw that several of the men have been rattled from the bombardment and looked uneased by the lines and lines of British soldiers moving towards them. Even though the defenses he made had prevented any of the colonials from being maimed or killed, the bombardment was shaking their morale. Colonel Kim raised his voice and shouted, "Do not be afraid! You are not alone! You have 400 fellow militiamen with you and thousands more waiting back at Bunker Hill! Hold the line and hold your fire until my command!"

Immediately, Colonel Kim watched carefully as the British began to move closer and closer. As they were within a certain range, the bombardment halted and only the sounds of movement on both sides were heard.

Once the Redcoats were within 300 meters of Breed Hill, the Korean-American officer yelled out his command, "Fire!"

Hundreds of musket shots rang out in unison, along with several shots fired by Colonel Kim's Garand. He saw three officers fall from his fire and dozens of additional Redcoats fall from the militiamen's fire. Expectedly, he heard shouting amongst the British as the British troops reformed ranks and returned fire.

He ducked into the trenches and gritted his teeth. The Battle of Bunker Hill had begun.

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