Dorchester Heights: The Night That Drove the British From Boston
In March 1776, American forces fortified Dorchester Heights and made the British position in Boston untenable.
31 Days of Boston — Day 22
In March 1776, American forces fortified Dorchester Heights and made the British position in Boston untenable.
The decisive move in the Siege of Boston happened with shovels, frozen ground, artillery, and speed.
Heavy guns transported from Fort Ticonderoga gave Washington new options. On the night of March 4–5, 1776, American forces fortified Dorchester Heights, commanding important approaches to Boston and threatening British ships.
By morning, the British faced a transformed battlefield. Assaulting the heights promised another costly fight. Remaining in Boston exposed the fleet and army to unacceptable danger.
On March 17, British forces evacuated Boston for Halifax, taking Loyalists with them. The date is still remembered locally as Evacuation Day.
The victory mattered beyond Boston. Washington had forced a major British army from the city without the catastrophic battle that might have destroyed his own forces. Boston, where imperial resistance had intensified for a decade, was now in patriot hands.
Research & Further Reading
For deeper research, consult authoritative collections including the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston Public Library, National Park Service, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Archives, and relevant museum and university collections. Readers should verify contested details against primary and scholarly sources.
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