From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol I. Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859.
The regulars are situated on Bunker’s and Breed’s Hills, both on the peninsula, where the late town of Charlestown stood, and within reach and under the cover of the guns, from the batteries in the town of Boston, and the ships in the harbor, and of a number of floating batteries, which they have built, that carry two guns in their bows, two in their sterns, and one on each side. The Americans are situated near Charles river, about two hundred rods below Harvard College, where they have a redoubt, which begins the line; then about sixty rods from that another redoubt, and lines continued near one hundred rods. At Charlestown road, on the west side of the road, at the foot of Prospect Hill, another redoubt, and strong fortification. On Prospect Hill, is Putnam’s post, a very strong fortification; and between that and Winter Hill a redoubt. On Winter Hill, a strong citadel, and lines over Charlestown road, to Mystic; then in Mr. Temple’s pasture, a strong redoubt, that commands to Mystic river, so that they have a complete line of circumvallation from Charles river to Mystic river. The Americans’ main fortress is on Prospect Hill; the regulars on Bunker’s Hill, within cannon shot of each other. A hill between these two posts, a little to the eastward of Prospect Hill, called Cobble Hill, will soon create a squabble as to which shall have it. It will not be many days before a contest begins, which will probably bring on a general engagement. In four or five days more, the Americans will be well prepared, and won’t care how soon the regulars come; the sooner the better. At Roxbury side the regulars have dug across the neck, and let the water through, and the Americans in turn, have intrenched across the outer end of the neck, and are strongly fortified there, and on the hill by the meeting-house; so strong, that it is believed every man in Boston, and at Bunker’s and Breed’s Hills must fall, before they can force a passage that way into the country.1
1 Holt’s Journal, July 27.