When the red-coats came within about a hundred and fifty feet of the breastworks, suddenly came Prescott's sharp order:--"Fire!" Instantly a flash of flame blazed along our entire line, and down fell the whole front of the advancing ranks. Under the ceaseless rain of bullets the British veterans gave way and retreated down the hillside in disorder. Then burst forth from our side a strong shout, the first ringing cry on this continent for national independence. But it was a sad sight--the long rows of dead and dying soldiers, mowed down as if by a sudden sweep of a giant scythe. "Oh, the sight our eyes discover as the blue-black smoke blows over! The red-coats stretched in windrows as a mower rakes his hay." Inside the breastworks some were killed and many wounded. Prescott, Putnam, and Warren were passing up and down the line, cheering and encouraging the patriots. =166. The British beat a Hasty Retreat to their Boats.=--The British officers rallied their troops as best they could. Death and wounds had thinned their number by hundreds, and the survivors were far from willing to make a second charge against that wall of fire. But the threats of the officers and even blows with their swords finally compelled them to it. Up they marched again, firing as they came, their ranks moving slowly, stepping over the bodies of their fallen comrades. "Wait, boys!" shouted Warren. "Don't fire yet! Wait." On they came as before, nearer and nearer, until the distance was less than thirty yards to our silent but fatal line, when instantly there burst forth another long blaze of fire, even deadlier than before. [Illustration: BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.] The Americans were by practice good marksmen, and the bright red coats and shining belts of the enemy made excellent targets. The British returned the fire, and a brisk discharge of musketry was kept up for a few minutes. But it was useless. Hundreds of their number fell dead on the fatal slope, and in spite of their officers, the broken ranks staggered and retreated, flying in a panic to the shore. =167. The British advance to the Third Attack.=--Now all was fright and confusion among the British. They were dismayed at the deadly reception our untrained soldiers had given them. General Clinton, who had been watching the battle from Copp's Hill and saw the day going against them, instantly hurried over with fresh troops. Once more the British regulars formed at the foot of the hill. We may imagine with what mingled feelings the Americans, gazing down through the rifts of smoke from burning Charlestown, watched the movements of the reinforced foe. Putnam and Warren again went around cheering our men. Prescott shouted, "Let's drive them back once more, and they cannot rally again."