In 1775, before George Washington was chosen as Commander-in-Chief, General Israel Putnam commanded the 2,400 men at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Colonel William Prescott was in charge of the 1,200 men holding the critical center redoubt. In 1775, before George Washington was chosen as Commander-in-Chief, General Israel Putnam commanded the 2,400 men at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Colonel William Prescott was in charge of the 1,200 men holding the critical center redoubt. When a stray musket ball from a British gun killed an American soldier, men began to run away. In the face of enemy fire, Colonel William Prescott stood fast. He climbed on the wall of the fortification, stood upright, walked back and forth, and rallied his men to have courage. When British General Thomas Gage saw Prescott through his telescope, he asked a local loyalist if Prescott had enough courage to fight. The loyalist Abijah Willard replied: "Prescott is an old soldier, he will fight as long as a drop of blood is in his veins ... Prescott will fight you to the gates of hell." As Founding Father John Adams once put it, “Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make good use of it! If you do not, I shall repent it in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it!”