On this day 250 years ago, General George Washington ordered the Continental Army to fortify Nook’s Hill (also known as Newks or Nuke’s Hill, and as Foster’s Hill), a rise of about one hundred feet over the channel between Dorchester and Boston’s Neck, that overlooked the Boston Neck and provided a direct view of the Boston’s wharves. As the Americans were beginning to fortify the hill, British artillery in Boston began bombarding the site. Sergeant Henry Bedinger, a rifleman from Virginia stationed at Dorchester Heights recorded that:

About 2 hours after Dark the Enemy Began to fire on a part of our men who were throwing up a Breastwork on the Nearest point to Boston on Dorchester. They fired from a Small Vessel from Boston Neck, from the wharf, from Fort Hill, &c. Supposed they Fired 1000 Shott as it Lasted the whole Night. Our people Fired in Boston from Roxberry. The Firings Continued all Night. We had 1 Surgeon & Three men Kill’d.

The surgeon was Dr. Enoch Dole of Lancaster, but I have not identified the names of the other three Continental soldiers killed on Nook’s Hill.

Sources: https://home.nps.gov/places/foster-s-hill.htm; https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=231888 (this historical marker says 5 men were killed instead of 4 as recorded by Bedinger).

Also on this day 250 years ago at his headquarters in Cambridge, General Washington wrote Lt. Col. Joseph Reed what seems to be the most detailed contemporaneous report of the occupation of Dorchester Heights:

March 7th. The Rumpus, which every body expected to see between the Ministerialists in Boston and our Troops has detain’d the bearer till this time. On Monday Night, I took possession of the Heights of Dorchester with two thousand Men under the Command of General Thomas—previous to this, and in order to divert the Enemy’s attention from the real object & to harrass we began on Saturday Night a Canonade and Bombardment which with Intervals was continued through the Night. the same on Sunday—and on Monday a Continued Roar from Seven Oclock till day light was kept up between the Enemy and us. In this time we had an Officer and one private killed & 4 or 5 Wounded—and through the Ignorance I suppose of Our Artillery men burst 5 Mortars (two 13 Inch & 3 ten Inch) the Congress one of them. What damage the Enemy has sustained is not known as there has not been a creature out of Boston since. The Canonade &ca except in the destruction of the Mortars answerd our expectation fully; for though we had upwards of 300 teams in motion at the same Instant carrying on our Fascines & other Materials to the Neck & the Moon Shining in its full lustre we were not discoverd till day light on Tuesday Morning.

So soon as we were discoverd every thing seem’d to be preparing for an Attack, but the tide failing before they were ready about One thousand only were able to Imbark in Six transports in the Afternoon and these falling down towards the Castle were drove on Shore by a violent storm which arose in the Afternoon of that day & continued threw the Night. Since that they have been seen returning to Boston—and whether from an apprehension that our Works are now too formidable to make any Impression on, or from what other causes I know not, but their hostile appearances have subsided & they are removing their Ammuniti⟨on⟩ out of their Magazine whether with a view to move Bag & Baggage or not I cannot undertake to say—but if we had Powder (and our Mortars replaced, which I am about to do by new cast ones as soon as possible) I would, so soon as we were sufficiently strengthened on the Heights, to take possession of the point just opposite to Boston Neck give them a dose they would not well like.

We had prepared Boats, a Detachment of 4000 men &ca &ca for pushing in to the West part of Boston if they had made any formidable attack upon Dorchester. I will not lament or repine at any Act of Providence because I am in a great measure a convert to Mr Popes opinion that whatever is, is right, but I think every thing had the appearance of a successful Issue if we had come to an Ingagement on that day. It was the 5th of March which I recalled to their remembrance as a day never to be forgotten—an Ingagement was fully expected—& I never saw spirits higher, or more ardour prevailing.

Washington added as a postscript his reaction to the report that General Howe was going to evacuate Boston:

from a Gentleman out of Boston, confirmd by a Paper from the Select Men there we have undoubted Information of Genl Howes preparing with great precipitancy to Imbark his Troops—for what place we know not—Hallifax it is said. The Select men being under dreadful apprehensions for the Town applied to Genl Robinson, to apply to Genl Howe; who through Genl Robinson has inform’d them that it is not his Intentions to destroy the Town unless his Majesty’s Troops should be Molested during their Imbarkation or at their Departure. this Paper seems so much under Covert—unauthenticated—and address’d to nobody—that I sent word to them (that is the Selectmen) that I could take notice of it—but shall go on with my preparations as intended. The Gentlemen abovementioned out of Boston says they seem to be in great consternation there. that one of our shot from Lambs Dam disabled Six men in their Beds, & that the Admiral upon discovering of our Works next Morning informd the Genl that unless we were dispossessed of them he could not keep the Kings ships in the Harbour; & that 3000 men, Commanded by Lord Percy were actually Imbarkd for that purpose—the Issue of it you have been informed of before.

Lt. John Mayo of the 3d Continental Regiment was the officer killed by a British shell at Roxbury on March 4, but I have not identified the name of the private who was killed at Lechmere’s Point that night. Both these men, as well as Dr. Dole and the three or four men killed on Nook’s Hill), should be remembered and honored for their sacrifice for American Liberty.

Source: “George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Reed, 26 February–9 March 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-03-02-0274. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 3, 1 January 1776 – 31 March 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1988, pp. 369–379.]