Quincy, Mass. Blog #10: Abigail Adams Cairn

Abigail Adams is the wife of John Adams, second President of the U.S. You "met" her in a previous blog back on August 30, 2023, here. In today's blog, you'll come with us in Quincy, Massachusetts, and visit an historic location where she and her son, John Quincy Adams stood to see the Battle of Bunker Hill. (which you'll also learn about here). 

WHAT IS ABIGAIL ADAMS CAIRN? -  As the Battle of Bunker Hill unfolded in Boston, windows rattled and the ground shook from the cannon fire in Braintree, Massachusetts. Abigail Adams brought her seven-year-old son, John Quincy Adams, up to the top of nearby Penn's Hill (which provided a view of Boston at the time) to watch the battle from afar. The Abigail Adams Cairn marks the spot where they watched the burning of Charlestown on Saturday, June 17, 1775, during the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

WHERE IS IT LOCATED?  On Penn's Hill, now at the corner of Franklin Street and Viden Road in Quincy, Massachusetts.

(Photo: Rob and Tom at the bottom of the hill before the climb. Credit: R.G.) 

WHAT IS THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL? - The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775 during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved.

(Photo: Dash, Tyler and Cody pose at the foot of the cairn. Credit: T.W.)

HOW DID THE COLONISTS LOSE THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL? - The defenders had run out of ammunition, reducing the battle to close combat. The advantage turned to the British, as their troops were equipped with bayonets on their muskets, while most of the colonists were not.

(Photo: Words from Abigail Adams about that day on June 18, 1775 when she stood atop Penn's Hill, are etched on the side of the monument. Credit: R.G.)

SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE REPORTED - In just two hours of fighting, 1,054 British soldiers—almost half of all those engaged—had been killed or wounded, including many officers. American losses totaled over 400. The first true battle of the Revolutionary War was to prove the bloodiest of the entire conflict. Though the British had achieved their aim in capturing the hill, it was a truly Pyrrhic victory.  For the full article about the battle, click here for Smithsonian Magazine article.

MILE MARKER REVEALS 11 MILES TO BOSTON - Standing atop Penn's Hill in 1775, apparently Abigail and young John Quincy Adams could see and hear the firefight 11 miles north! 

(Photo right, credit: R.G)- Just across the street from the Cairn was a mile marker that was erected in the 1800s, that says ?To Boston 11 Miles (north) with an arrow; and To Plymouth 34 Miles (south) with an arrow in the opposite direction. 

FOR A 4 MINUTE VIDEO ABOUT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL - 

Bunker Hill: The Revolutionary War in Four Minutes: By Battlefield Trust 

In honor of the 245th Anniversary of The Battle of Bunker Hill, we are releasing a new American Battlefield Trust branded version of our Bunker Hill In4. Join Jim Percoco as he details the battle that followed Lexington & Concord, signifying that full scale war was imminent and there was truly no turning back for American and British forces. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/mgeq7uqqmn8 American