The American Dream: An American Officer ISOTed to the Revolutionary War

[okmangeez]

AN: Hello! I'm okmangeez and this is a story I've been working on for some time now. This is a tale of an American Marine being transported to the year 1775 and being tasked with changing America's destiny, for the better. The being that took him back is patronizing and watching over the man carefully. Even so, there will be struggles and problems the marine will need to overcome. Not everything will go perfectly, but the new United States will be radically different than the one in our history. I did post the beginning of this story on SV years ago, but I wasn't aware of this sub-forum at the time. Now that I know, I'm posting the story in this sub-forum since the story is an alternate history fic, with time travel elements.

I am currently almost at 500,000 words for this story, and it is posted on other websites such as Spacebattles and Alternatehistory.com. I will be updating around 4-5 chapters per day to bring this thread up to speed with the other websites.

Criticisms/comments are always welcomed. If there are problems with the font, narrative, characters, or the such, feel free to leave your thoughts down below. I have used multiple sources for various battles, events, and characters. As such, the numbers/characterization might not be the exact replica of what you would expect. If you think certain historical figures or events are portrayed incorrectly, please let me know down below! While I'm enjoying writing this story, I'm also a fairly avid history enthusiast, and I do not want to misrepresent or skew history in any way.

I hope you enjoy it!

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When First Lieutenant Samuel Kim came to, he was no longer in his rather comfortable room in Camp Pendleton. Instead, he was tied to a chair inside a small and plain tent. That was not the only fact that surprised him, as he realized that he dressed in his dress uniform for the Marine Corps instead of his sleepwear. Shaking off his surprise caused by the sudden changes, the US Marine looked at his surroundings to analyze the situation. The interior of the tent was bare, with only a small table with a lantern and a stool beside his own chair. Outside, the lieutenant could hear the sounds of shouting and pounding, though he could also make out several voices that were speaking directly outside of the tent he was in. Struggling against the bindings futilely, Lieutenant Kim yelled loudly enough for his captors to hear, "Who's out there and what do you want?"

The voices outside the tent suddenly ceased and two figures walked through the tent flaps to greet the Marine Corps officer. The first one that entered was a man that was fairly short in stature but had an air of authority surrounding him. He looked like he was in his late-40's, with streaks of grey hair that stood out from his auburn hair. The man wore an old-fashioned colonial hat with an outfit that consisted mainly of the colors brown and white. The second man that entered was taller and his face looked more weathered. The taller gentleman looked a decade older than his counterpart and strode into the tent with confidence. His outfit was more sophisticated; he wore a wig, and a colonial officers uniform that Lieutenant Kim had seen in textbooks. Both men looked tense as they approached their captive cautiously.

"How did you manage to get past all of my men and come to the top of this hill with all your luggage with you?" The younger man asked accusingly.

The uptimer stared at the man, having no answers to the man's question. "I do not how I ended up here either. I was thinking that this was a prank made by some of my subordinates, but I don't think they would go this far for a mere prank."

The senior stepped up towards the bound officer to question him. "You said "subordinates," does that mean you are part of a militia? Or perhaps, a member of the redcoats? Judging by your way of dress, I would assume you are a soldier employed under an elite British unit."

"Redcoats? Do you mean the British?" Lieutenant Kim inspected the two people in front of him once more and shook his head. "Then I'm guessing you are colonials fighting against them? I assure you, I am not a loyalist or a member of the British military. My name is Samuel Kim. I am a First Lieutenant of the United States Marine Corps."

"United States Marine Corps. May I ask where this "United States" is? Is it an Asian nation that has lent mercenaries to the British to assist them in the colonies? After all, your features suggest that you come from the Asian continent."

The US officer shook his head, "No, the United States is something far greater than some nation in Asia that is employed by the British. If my hunch is correct, it is the nation that you are trying to create. The United States of America, with the first thirteen states being the thirteen colonies in North America."

That caught the attention of both of the colonials as the younger one nearly grabbed the bound officer by the collar, "What do you mean by that? You claim to be an officer of a nation that does not yet exist?"

"Yes, because I'm an officer of the United States in 2018. Which would be around 240 years ahead of your time. May I ask the current date and where I am exactly?"

"It is the 17th of June, in the year of our Lord 1775. You are currently sitting on Breed's Hill, overseeing the city of Boston." The older man coolly answered before his younger compatriot could answer. "If you are from the year 2018 as you claim, then you are 243 years ahead of our time. That is quite a bold claim, Lieutenant Kim."

The words of the older gentleman did not hold any malicious intent, but he and his partner both looked dubious of his bold claims. Lieutenant Kim closed his eyes and hoped that whatever brought him to this place would have at least brought him some items of use to verify his identity. "You told me before that I arrived with some luggage. May I request you to bring them to this tent? The luggage may contain some items that may verify that I am from the future."

"Colonel Prescott, have someone fetch this man's luggage from the other tent and bring it here with due haste." As the younger man left, the older man turned back to his captive with a different look in his eyes. Before, he looked professional and indifferent to the lieutenant's words, but with the colonel gone, the colonial looked eager and even hungry. "You said that this "United States" would consist of the thirteen colonies of North America. Does that mean we achieve victory? Do we win the war against the redcoats?"

Lieutenant Kim blinked at the sudden change of atmosphere but welcomed it. "We do. We will declare our independence next year, in the year 1776. Afterward, we will win a string of victories against the British that will bring the French to our aid. After receiving French aid, we will begin to push the British back further and further, and the war will end with the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. The British will formally recognize our independence in 1783 and from there, we will expand to the west and the United States will span from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In the year 2018, the United States is the world's sole superpower. We do not have an empire, but we are a democratic republic that stands for equality and justice with a military that kings and conquerors of the past would envy."

The colonial soaked in every word the officer said and looked celebratory when his small speech ended. "And many told me that we would only suffer defeat if we challenge the might of the British military! If what you say is true, good sir, then we should gladly fight for our nation's future! Excuse me for being a bit rude earlier, but I am Major General Israel Putnam of the Continental Army."

"I have read about you in our history books, general. And since today is June 17th of 1775, I would assume that you are about to fight the British in one of the most famous battles in American history: Battle of Bunker Hill."

General Putnam looked confused at the remark. "Are we forced to retreat from our current position early on? Our plan is to defend Breed Hill and to withdraw to Bunker Hill if we are breached."

"No general. The majority of the battle does take part in Breed Hill, but the name "Battle of Bunker Hill" sounded more appealing to historians I suppose." Lieutenant Kim replied. "However, if it is not too late, I do have some suggestions to inflict more casualties on the British and to secure a complete American victory…"

As he was speaking, Colonel Prescott and another colonial walked into the tent with a large travel bag with wheels, a military backpack, a rifle, and a pistol. They were all placed onto the table in the tent and the colonial that assisted the colonel left the tent. General Putnam went over to the table and inspected the rifle with great interest. "Is this weapon also from the future then? This looked remarkably well crafted and seems to fire projectiles other than balls."

"That weapon is considered outdated from the year I come from, but was widely used in the early 1900s. However, that weapon is still years ahead of anything your militia or the British army has. The rifle is called the M1 Garand, a rifle that is able to fire repeatedly without needing to inject the "bullet" directly into the gun. The end of the rifle has a small opening where you can place a clip of bullets into the rifle directly, allowing a continuous stream of fire. Each clip holds eight bullets, so in a span of a minute I can most likely shoot around 40 to 50 accurate shots towards the enemy."

General Putnam picked up the Garand and weighed the rifle in his hands. "The rifle seems to weigh about the same as our muskets, but it is it seems considerably shorter. But you say that this can fire 40 to 50 shots per minute?"

"Yes, general. And the range for the Garand is several hundred yards and also has a sight to assist in aiming. If used correctly, I would assume that rifle could change the tide of an entire battle." Lieutenant Kim answered. "But before I get into any more specifics, may I ask that you open the small pouch at the very front of the bag and pull out the small booklet that is in it? It will help clear up any doubts about my claims."

While the general was still looking over the rifle, Colonel Prescott opened up the front pouch and pulled out a small black booklet. The very top of the booklet had the word "PASSPORT" emboldened onto it. The center of the cover featured an eagle that held arrows in its left claw with an olive branch in its right claw. The very bottom line of the booklet cover adorned the words "United States of America."

Curious, the colonel opened up the booklet and was greeted with a large picture eagle, with a somewhat familiar flag flying in the background. He read out the words that were written next to the eagle to his superior, who had also taken notice of the booklet. "We the People of the United States, in Order to create a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America."

"General Putnam, Colonel Prescott, I know it is hard to believe what I am telling you. Even in my times, the thought of someone going back in time and changing history is only in works of fiction. However, I have somehow traveled back 243 years into the past. I do not know how, but what matters more is that I am here with knowledge about the future. You may not trust me because I am a stranger, but my presence may change the course of this battle, war, and our future nation. So please, I ask you to trust me and let me help you win against the British. I can save dozens, if not hundreds of lives today if you do." The Marine Corps officer pleaded. Even though he was far away from home, his mind was racing with improvements he could bring upon the United States now and beyond.

Surprisingly, it was Colonel Prescott that spoke first. "While I still have my doubts, I believe that we should allow this man to assist us, general. His speech makes it clear that he is not British and he seems fiercely loyal to the United States, which is the cause we are fighting for if this man is correct. We will need to speak to him in greater detail, but for now, I believe he can be trusted."

The older colonial adjusted his wig and looked at the rifle and then the booklet. "I spoke with him briefly while you fetched his luggage and I am inclined to agree. If he does have knowledge that can assist us in the upcoming battle, then I see no reason to keep him bound and useless while the British overwhelm us. Unbind him."

In a few seconds, Colonel Prescott untied the rope and Lieutenant Kim rose from his chair unsteadily. He held out his hand to the general for him to shake. "Then let us fight for the future of our nation."

General Putnam took his hand and shook it, "We must. If shots are fired today, then there will be no peace until the end of this war."

 

[okmangeez]

"This here is a layout of the battle, which will commence around 3 PM later today." Lieutenant Kim showed the Colonials an accurate map of the battle through his laptop. He had managed to skim through the content of his equipment before starting the strategy meeting and found his laptop buried in his combat backpack. Despite being on for about half an hour, the laptop's battery did not fall a single percent and had the entirety of Wikipedia and various history textbooks downloaded into it. "As you can see here, the fortifications on Breed's Hill will provoke an aggressive response by the British and they will attempt a frontal assault to dislodge us from our positions."

In front of the uptime officer was the two colonial officers that had interrogated him before. General Putnam wanted to reveal the lieutenant's presence to the rest of the camp to inspire them, but Lieutenant Kim advised against such actions to limit rumors that may spill to the British. Instead, the Marine Corps officer stood in front of the colonel and major general to exploit their situation and change the battle's outcome. The officers were in awe of the laptop in front of them, still wondering how the machine worked. Thankfully, they were equally captivated at the vast and detailed map on the glowing portion of the machine.

"However, in the world where I come from, the stand at Breed's Hill led to a number of problems. It was harder to supply Breed's Hill with men and supplies due to the distance. While the distance is not too significant, it did hinder reinforcements from assisting the main forces stationed at the hill. Many regiments decided not to advance in face of British bombardment and stayed put on Bunker Hill. Additionally, Breed's Hill had more gaps on the sides that led to troops being diverted elsewhere. The battle managed to force the British to play their hand and inflicted severe casualties upon the British troops, but it also came at the cost of losing the battle and a retreat from Charlestown and surrounding areas."

"So what changes do you advise order to win this battle?" General Putnam asked, his eyes fixated on the map.

Lieutenant Kim smiled and used Paint to draw over the map. "The best course of action is to provoke a response in order to draw out the battle and then withdraw to a more defensible position. I have researched a bit about the battle and the British officers that we will be facing. If my thinking is correct, then the British will attempt to completely envelop and destroy us if we feint a retreat after their first assault. We should finish some fortifications on Breed's Hill, but focus more on the fortifications of Bunker Hill. A small force, consisting of some of the best disciplined and skilled regiments, will hold Breed's Hill and the surrounding flanks to delay the British advance. The regiments will blunt the first British assault, then retreat towards Bunker Hill in order to make the British believe that we are low on ammunition or that our lines are breaking. Once the British troops take the bait and move in towards Bunker Hill, we will play to our defensive advantage and inflict massive casualties on the British troops. After several volleys of fire, the British will either attempt to reinforce their assault with additional troops or retreat hastily back to the beaches. Since we will have a steady flow of reinforcements arriving at Bunker Hill, we should be able to fend off the British even if they received additional support. Once the British start retreating, we will advance and retake Breed's Hill and fire at them while they retreat. From there, we will be able to refortify Breed's Hill and gain the tactical advantage once again."

By this point, the lieutenant had altered the map to fit his battle plan and the final drawing he made was a large arrow that pressed towards Morton's Hill. Finishing his suggested plan, Lieutenant Kim turned to Colonel Prescott and Major General Putnam for his reply.

"It's a bold move, but considering the information we have now, it is a very sound plan. I am usually not a general that likes to consider the specifics and troop numbers, but even I think this is a fairly logical course of action." General Putnam replied after a moment of silence.

Colonel Prescott nodded his head. "This plan might be the key to our victory, but I must ask this. If the British believe that they will lose a large number of men assaulting Bunker Hill and choose to fortify Breed's Hill, what will we do?"

"I have already accounted for that possibility into the plan, Colonel. If the British troops decide to not press forward, then we will flank them with the regiments placed in Charlestown itself as seen on the map." The lieutenant highlighted several small boxes that occupied the edge of the town. "As in the original battle, if we have several regiments stationed within the town and have them hide from the British, we can use them to flank the British position and cut off any reinforcements from reaching Breed's Hill. Once these regiments begin the attack, we will move forward with our main forces and retake Breed's Hill by force if necessary. We will take more casualties, but a flanking maneuver will make the British either split to fight two sides or to retreat completely."

With that explanation, the colonel looked more at ease. "I still have a few minor worries about this plan, but I do not object to this plan."

Before the two Continental officers could say anything, Lieutenant Kim interjected his thoughts into the conversation. "It is a dangerous plan and requires everything to go according to plan. Because of this, I volunteer to be at Breed's Hill with the Garand to assist the regiments there."

"No." General Putnam instantly replied," I apologize if I may sound rude, but you hold valuable information that can change the course of history. We can't risk losing you in this minor battle when instead, you can alter entire wars in the near future. I insist that you stay behind at Bunker Hill and oversee the battle from there."

"That may be so, general. But I will not be out in the open and firing my Garand like the others. Since the Garand has a further effective range and better accuracy than all muskets and rifles, I will be in an entrenched position on the hill and fire at the British to help push back the first assault. Unlike in the original battle, there will be fewer men up on Breed's Hill and I can't guarantee that they will succeed in driving the British back. But if I am firing with a Garand at the hill, I can ensure that at least the first wave will be decimated." The Marine firmly stated. "If there are any signs of dangers, I will make sure to retreat along with the others."

General Putnam looked conflicted, but he let out a sigh and straightened his uniform. "Even though I do not want to admit it, your suggestion makes sense. Even though I can have one of my best marksmen use your weapon, you are more used to this rifle than any of my men. And you were an officer for the United States military in your time. If you insist on being at Breed's Hill during the initial attack, then I will give you an officer's commission to lead the regiments defending the hill."

"Sir. Even though he may be an officer from the future and have valuable insight, I do not think it is appropriate to immediately appoint him as an officer. All the regiments that we currently have already have officers leading them. It would be unwise to have a regimental commander removed and replaced right before a crucial battle such as this one." Colonel Prescott looked at the uptime officer apologetically. "I do not doubt your skills or abilities, Lieutenant, but these men are not professional soldiers. Many of them are led by people they are familiar with or lived nearby. Changing commanders will affect morale and spread discontent amongst the militiamen."

The commanding colonial general drummed his fingers onto the table. "Then perhaps there is a way to avoid that problem entirely. If we are to hold Breed's Hill for some time with a minimal amount of troops, then we should have our most disciplined and skilled marksmen to occupy the hill. Out of the 1200 militiamen we currently have, we can find 400 men suitable for the task and place them under your command. We can assure the men that this will be an important task for our defense and guarantee that we will come to their aid should they be overwhelmed. It is important to make sure that they are not to be seen as sacrifices, which they will not be. Instead, they should be seen as the very best we have to fight against the British troops."

Lieutenant Kim nodded in agreement. "I can assure you that I will do my best to wreck confusion in the British lines so that they will have to retreat after their first charge. I will make sure to do enough damage to deter them for some time, but not enough to cripple them to the point where they retreat in a disarray. Our goal is to defeat them utterly to the point where they are unable to withdraw the men they land. Otherwise, those same soldiers will come back to haunt us elsewhere, in New York or even Quebec."

"Quebec? Will we take Quebec?" Colonel Prescott asked with confusion over his face.

With a grimace, the Korean-American shook his head. "No, at least, not in the future I come from. We take Montreal but fail to take Quebec. That could also change, but we must focus on the battle at hand."

"I believe it is settled then. Mr. Samuel Kim, I formerly grant you the commission of Colonel of the Connecticut Militia. You will be assigned a regiment of 400 men, a "Marine" regiment if you will. You will take up the position on Breed's Hill and defend the position until the planned retreat. You are to bring victory not only for the colonies but for our future nation of the United States of America."

Shockingly, as General Putnam said those words, the insignia on Lieutenant Kim's uniform began to change. The emblem changed from a single silver bar to a silver eagle with arrows clutched in its claws. Colonel Prescott noted the oddity first and the other two men in the tent watched the transformation complete.

Silence reigned in the room for several seconds before Colonel Kim cleared his throat. "In the future, we have a saying that says "God is a Yankee." Perhaps that is why I was sent here and why he is still watching over me."

 

[okmangeez]

Colonel Samuel Kim stood on a box in front of the 400 men that was loaned to him. The militiamen were finishing up the defenses on Breed Hill, which under the officer's command, primarily consisted of trenches and stakes to protect the defenders and slow down direct charges. The men in front of him were not soldiers, but civilians in arms. He suspected that most of them were ordinary farmers or frontiersmen that had experience in shooting, which was logical as they were more likely to use their muskets and rifles to hunt or fight against Native American tribes. Regardless, even if they were all more "experienced" than other militiamen, they were a far cry from the professional soldiers that the United States would field in the coming centuries. It didn't help that the United States didn't even exist as of yet and the men under his command identified themselves with their colonies.

"Alright!" Colonel Kim raised his voice to draw the attention of the men that were whispering amongst themselves, "Some of you may be wondering why you are now under my command for the upcoming battle. I have no doubts that you are more surprised at the fact that I, a man of Asian descent, will be your officer for the time being."

Mutters and nods were widespread throughout the ranks, with some looking skeptical at the colonel that was dressed like a British officer. He grimaced, but looked upon the crowd determinedly from his position, "That is because I am here to fight for your colonies, your homes, and your loved ones. I may look like a stranger, and to an extent, I am a stranger. However, I have been given the task to help defend your lands from the Redcoats, and I will carry out that duty to the end."

"All you most likely have varying reasons for joining your militias and fighting against the Redcoats. Some of you believe that the Lobsters are invaders, entrenching themselves in a land that is not theirs. Some of you might be here because you seek glory or fame. Others may be here because you were forced or convinced by your neighbors or loved ones. Regardless, all of you are standing here today, united under the banner of defeating the invading Redcoats. And in the end, that will be all that matters."

The Asian-American stepped off the box and stood face to face with the men at the front, "If you think for a moment that the British will stop after seizing Boston, then rid yourself of such delusions immediately. If they defeat us today, the Redcoats will seize Boston and march into surrounding colonies. They will occupy your homes, force you to quarter them, and punish you for daring to fight against the Crown. No matter the reason for your presence here today, you will be fighting not for your own reasons, but for your lives. Your lives to exist and live. The 400 of you have been gathered from the surrounding colonies and are unfamiliar with one another, so I do not expect you to act friendly to one another immediately. However, for the time being, we have a common cause to fight for and all of you here have selected for being the very best that your colonies have to offer."

Colonel Kim noted that some of the men straightened their postures and looked proud at the statement. He let out an internal sigh of relief at the sight. If he was going to lead these forces into battle, he needed them to understand what they were fighting for and remain solidly under his command. They had precious little time before the British started their assault, so he quickened his speech. "So men of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut let us fight! Let the Redcoats underestimate you, for that will be their greatest mistake! None of you here are professional soldiers, but you are fighting for a cause greater than the cause of the Redcoats: for the livelihood of your colonies, your people, and yourself! So come unite together and fight! And even if I am a stranger, let us come together and resist! Show them that none of you are to be trifled with!"

Surprisingly, most of the men raised their entrenching tools and weapons and cried out affirmatively. The men looked up to the colonel with a determined gleam in their eyes and newfound respect. He grinned at the men under him and pulled out his own rifle. "For this battle, you will be part of the First Marine Regiment, the first regiment to have men from differing colonies stand united! We are the first line of defense and you have been told our plan for defense! We will make them pay for every inch of Breed Hill and be the hammer to break them once they retreat! So men of the First Marine Regiment, take your positions! Prepare yourself for battle and resist! For victory!"

"For victory!"

After his speech, the group scattered and began to take their positions within the trenches, as Colonel Kim instructed them. He was aware of the line battles that were common in this period, but the militiamen were not soldiers and he did not want them to take unnecessary casualties. The trenches would protect them from naval fire and small arms fire and help the militiamen steady their aim while firing. As he instructed several of them to spread out evenly throughout the trenches, a militiaman dressed in modest clothes and a colonial hat came up to him, "That was some speech, Colonel. I had my reservations before, but now I'm beginning to believe that you are the right man for the job."

The colonial stuck out his hand for the officer to shake, and Colonel Kim shook the hand firmly, "Colonel Samuel Kim, unofficially part of the Connecticut Militia. May I ask for your name?"

"Doctor Joseph Warren. I was commissioned to be a major general but today, I am fighting as a private with the Massachusetts Militia,"

At the man's reply, Colonel Kim's eyes widened. He was well aware of who the man was and knew of his fate in the original Battle of Bunker Hill. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Warren. Let us hope we achieve victory together on the battlefield today."

Just then, an explosion rocked the surrounding area as a crater materialized in front of the trenches. When the two men looked towards the shores, they saw the British slowly unloading from their boats and forming ranks. Oddly, Warren chuckled and gripped his musket tightly, "When you spoke to the men back there, were you speaking truthfully, Colonel? About standing united against Britain and fighting for our future?"

"I meant every word of what I said, Dr. Warren. Hopefully one day, the colonies will be able to unite as one and realize the true threat to their livelihood." Colonel Kim answered, his thoughts wandering to the formation of the United States.

"Then we are in good hands. I am proud to be part of this "First Marine Regiment" and fight alongside you, Colonel Kim. And I'm sure all the men here think the same," Warren bowed respectfully before moving into a position within the trenches.

"Please wait a moment, Dr. Warren," Colonel Kim placed the Garand down on the ground and rifled the bag he was given by General Putnam. He pulled out a battle flag and attached it to a pole that was provided to him. The flag displayed the original Marine flag design, but with the words stating "First Marine Regiment of America." "If would like for you to be the standard barrier for the regiment. Hopefully, this flag will fly on even after this battle ends."

Warren looked at the flag intriguingly but nodded his head. "It will be my honor."

After the major general/private left to walk through the trenches waving the flag, the Marine officer looked through his supplies as the British bombardment picked up. For the Garand, he had 20 clips of ammunition, good for 160 total shots. In his mind, he was already thinking of aiming at the senior officers and infantrymen in order to throw the British in disarray. In addition to this, he had five frag grenades, a flare, and a medkit for emergency treatment. On top of all this, there was a single note written on a piece of paper. The paper addressed Colonel Kim directly and held some answers to his presence in the past. He had read the paper before, but he read it again for reassurance.

"To Lieutenant, now Colonel, Kim of the United States Marine Corps,

Undoubtedly, you are confused about how you were brought to the past and why you have been thrown into the midst of the Revolutionary War. All I (and you may choose to imagine who "I" am) can inform you about this matter is that you have been tasked to change the United States for the better. The United States was a nation founded on many promising and great ideals, yet those ideals were exclusive and America was neither the home of the free or the brave for all for the longest amount of time.

You have been given tools (and you will receive more tools as time goes on) to help change the fate of the United States. You are aware of your nation's history and the tragic mistakes it will make, sometimes intentional and sometimes accidental. Your task is to change the United States so that it is a land for every one of its citizens as early as possible, and become a "Watcher" for the nation as it moves into the future. Help change the lives and views of those around you, and proceed to expand your influence across all the colonies. As I said, you will be given the necessary tools (weapons, clothes, etc) to achieve this. Your first test will be here, at Breed Hill.

It will be difficult and a long, painstaking process. But I am hopeful that you will change America and help her throughout the ages, changing not only America's destiny but the world's destiny.

I will be watching carefully. And as you said, perhaps God is a Yankee."

Folding the note into his pocket, Colonel Kim prepared his gear and stepped into the trenches along with his men. The bombardment continued for half an hour longer before the British began their march towards the hill.

Looking around, he saw that several of the men have been rattled from the bombardment and looked uneased by the lines and lines of British soldiers moving towards them. Even though the defenses he made had prevented any of the colonials from being maimed or killed, the bombardment was shaking their morale. Colonel Kim raised his voice and shouted, "Do not be afraid! You are not alone! You have 400 fellow militiamen with you and thousands more waiting back at Bunker Hill! Hold the line and hold your fire until my command!"

Immediately, Colonel Kim watched carefully as the British began to move closer and closer. As they were within a certain range, the bombardment halted and only the sounds of movement on both sides were heard.

Once the Redcoats were within 300 meters of Breed Hill, the Korean-American officer yelled out his command, "Fire!"

Hundreds of musket shots rang out in unison, along with several shots fired by Colonel Kim's Garand. He saw three officers fall from his fire and dozens of additional Redcoats fall from the militiamen's fire. Expectedly, he heard shouting amongst the British as the British troops reformed ranks and returned fire.

He ducked into the trenches and gritted his teeth. The Battle of Bunker Hill had begun.

 

[okmangeez]

"Fire!"

The muskets of the First Marine Regiment cracked in near unison as numerous Redcoats towards the front fell from the steady fire of the colonials. For every volley the colonials fired, Colonel Kim fired four shots at British officers and NCOs. Some of the militiamen in the vicinity looked at him in awe as he shot continuously towards the British lines, firing steadily and surely and downing the British leaders.

Even though he had superior weaponry that could potentially kill every British officer that he could see, he was preserving some ammunition in case the battle turned awry. While he wanted to crush the British right away, he knew that if the Redcoats turned into a disorganized mess without leadership, it could result in a free for all between the colonials and the British. And as of right now, he could hardly afford to engage in melee against the British troops. No, the Patriots needed a solid victory utilizing every militiaman, including the ones at Bunker Hill, and gain a morale boost from delivering a blow against Britain.

By now, the battle had been raging on for nearly half an hour. Casualties had been relatively light amongst the men of the First Marine Regiment so far, with only several men dying from British fire. The defenses that were prepared before the battle had paid dividends and had protected the untrained militiamen significantly. Meanwhile, Colonel Kim witnessed over a hundred British troops laying on the ground completely still or in pain. Despite the lack of training, the militiamen were decent shots and the trenches and stakes allowed them to rest their muskets and steady their aim.

After another volley, the British assault withered and the Redcoats retreated to regroup. This was the moment that Colonel Kim had been waiting for.

"Marines! Remember the plan! You have done excellently and showed the British your resolve! Now is the time to gather the wounded and retreat back to Bunker Hill to join our fellow militiamen! Together, we will march forward and defeat the British!"

The response was muted from the sound of renewed bombardment, but the men spread the word quickly amongst themselves. Within minutes, the survivors of the battle grabbed their weapons and belongings and began to "flee" towards Bunker Hill as a loose unit. The wounded were carried by some of the militiamen and a few recited a quick prayer for the fallen.

While grabbing his bag of supplies, the colonel spotted flag bearer Warren, who was still flying the flag of the Marine Regiment proudly. Colonel Kim trotted up to him and grinned, "Good to see that you are doing well, Dr. Warren. The men put up one hell of a fight."

"Yes, they did, thanks to your leadership. We lost some good lads, but we inflicted heavy casualties on the British," Warren replied, waving the flag while motioning the others to move along, "Now let's hope that our fellow allies at Bunker Hill are able to do the same."

The two of them began to retreat towards Bunker Hill with the others when the Marine officer spotted an African American man on the ground. Colonel Kim clearly remembered that the man was fighting relentlessly and unwavering during the entire battle. The man was clearly alive and was wounded with a noticeable gash on his leg, yet he was alone on the ground with the other colonials moving past him. Colonel Kim frowned at the sight and moved towards the man. Pulling out his medkit, he began to yell at the men in the vicinity, "Why are you not helping this man?"

"We're prioritizing the more important wounded, sir. He's only a Negro." A colonial stated matter of factly.

Colonel Kim's blood began to boil as he glared at the men surrounding him. He began to treat the wounded man with caution, applying rubbing alcohol to his wound and then wrapping with a gaze. Once he finished his emergency treatment, he turned to look at the militiamen under his command, "Whether if someone's white, black, brown, or purple, I do not give a damn. This man fought with you and was wounded. He did not flee upon seeing the enemy, nor did he cower during the fight. Yet you treat him differently because of his skin color. By your logic, if I were to be shot on the battlefield, you would leave me behind because I am not white."

Some of the men began to spout objections, but Colonel Kim continued as he helped the African American man up onto his feet, "We are rebels, gentlemen. We can't pick and choose who we fight with, and we sure as hell will not leave behind men that are willing to fight with us. So do not look at their skin color, but look at their spirit and bravery. If I had 1000 men like this wounded gentleman, then I will be able to take on the entire British Army with them."

As he was holding up the wounded man, the colonel nodded to the doctor and moved forward back to Bunker Hill. The other men followed, albeit a bit more reluctantly this time. Some of them looked livid at the colonel's remarks, but others looked like they were contemplating silently.

When they reached Bunker Hill, General Putnam personally greeted the return of Colonel Kim, "Colonel Kim! Good to see you alive and well! How goes the battle?"

"The British have suffered hundreds of casualties and I managed to take out at least two dozen NCOs and officers. The British have been blunted, but they were regrouping to lead another attack on Breed Hill while we left. They'll start advancing soon, general. Are the men in Charlestown ready?"

General Putnam nodded, "They are ready on your mark, colonel. I see that this Negro is wounded, does he need treatment?"

"No general. I patched him already using my medical supplies. There are a few others that are wounded as well that most likely need treatment," He asked Dr. Warren to carry the wounded man to the medical tent and ensure his well-being before turning back to the general. He pulled ou the medkit and handed it to the general, "This is a medical kit that can help the wounded avoid being diseased from their wounds and ensure they are treated properly. If there are any doctors in the vicinity that can help the wounded, please instruct them to use the rubbing alcohol in the medical kit over the wounds to cleanse it from disease and then apply the bandages and such. If they have any questions regarding the medical supplies, they can always ask me."

"Very well. Thank you, colonel," General Putnam replied, "Lad! Take this to the doctor and tell them to use the rubbing alcohol to clean the wounds of the wounded and then apply the bandages!"

A man from the Connecticut Militia took the box and ran off towards the doctors. The militia general looked towards Breed Hill, which was picking up with activity, and then gazed over the militiamen around him. "Some of the militiamen turned back after the British began to bombard Charlestown Neck, but we still have around 1,200 men with us. An additional 400 are hiding out in Charlestown, under the command of Colonel Prescott. Once the Redcoats start pushing, we will prepare ourselves in the trenches and fight accordingly."

Colonel Kim looked around to spot the men from his unit and found them towards the front of the militiamen. Despite only engaging in one battle, the men looked much more focused than before and held their muskets closely. It seemed like the skirmish with the British had instilled some sort of discipline into the men. He noticed that while the Marine Regiment was hiding in the trenches and prepping for battle, the more raw militiamen were out of the trenches and readying themselves on open ground. Shaking his head, he began to inspect the British troops coming towards him with a pair of binoculars.

From what he saw, he saw at least 2,000 British troops moving down from Breed Hill and towards Bunker Hill. From a militiaman's standpoint, the British soldiers probably looked intimidating and terrifying. Like on Breed Hill, the British bombardment was rattling the hill and to an extent, the men on the hill as well. Some of the men that were outside the trenches were killed instantly when the artillery fire struck home. As the British began to march closer and closer, he saw some of the men panic and flee, despite barking orders from General Putnam and other colonial officers.

When loud booming sounds came from the peak of Bunker Hill, Colonel Kim and the others turned to look at the source of the noise. On the hill were six artillery pieces, all firing towards British lines. From the distance, Colonel Kim was able to see a man with a peg leg loading up another volley to fire upon the British. Seeing this, the Marine officer could, quite literally, feel the spirits of the militiamen lift tremendously. And when the British came into firing range, the colonel did not hesitate to call out his order to the Marine Regiment, "Fire!"

The other officers echoed his order and over a thousand muskets let loose a volley towards the advancing Redcoats, along with several scattered shots from himself and nervous militiamen. Most of them missed, but a good amount of the shots struck the British lines. His shots struck true and hit several of the British officers once more. Unlike Breed Hill, there were over a thousand men on Bunker Hill and they were able to somewhat match the British in terms of volume, and Colonel Kim was hitting the British lines without restraint. When the British returned fire, the few men within the trenches were safe from British fire, though some of the unfortunate militiamen that remained in view of the British were struck down.

Once he saw that the Marine Regiment was ready to fire once more, Colonel Kim pointed towards the enemy, "Fire!"

In addition to the regiment's fire, Colonel Kim pulled out a frag grenade and pulled the pin, counting two seconds before throwing it accurately towards the British lines. After a few more seconds, a small explosion erupted in the British ranks. Immediately afterward, he threw the remaining frags toward the enemy, achieving the same results. With just the five grenades, he saw dozens of British soldiers go down from the fragmentation. As more and more British soldiers were cut down, suddenly, the Redcoats began to turn tail and march away from the battlefield.

Unfortunately, while he was about to pull out his flare gun and call for a charge, he saw that despite the British retreat, some of the colonial units were fleeing as well. That's when he noticed that there were dozens of dead militiamen on the ground. While his regiment remained fairly unscathed, the colonial units that refused to utilize the trenches and fought the British with line formations suffered heavy casualties and were on the run.

Suddenly, he felt a burning sensation in his pocket and he pulled out the piece of paper from before. The previous message on the paper had disappeared and was instead replaced by a single sentence, "Rally the men by singing the song."

For a moment, Colonel Kim was extremely confused at the wording of the sentence. What did the messenger mean about "the song?" Suddenly, his mind drifted that song that seemed relevant to the situation. Somehow, he got the feeling his assumption was correct.

He cleared his throat and recalled the verses before singing,

"Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men.
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums,
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes.

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free!

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men.
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums,
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes.

Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance?
Some will fall and some will live.
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs will water the soils of Our Land!

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men.
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums,
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!"

He had no idea why "God" wanted him to sing that song, but the song was short and seemed to have an effect on some of the colonial soldiers that were near him. Initially, the militiamen looked at him strangely but had a changed expression on their face as they listened to the lyrics. After he finished the song, he saw that many from his own regiment and from other regiments were singing along as well and began to direct their attention towards him.

It was now or never.

"My fellow militiamen! The British are on the retreat and are fleeing! We are able to cut them off and encircle them with our forces in Charlestown! So move forward!"

Colonel Kim fired his flare gun into the air to signal Colonel Prescott in Charlestown. Immediately, he and his own unit began to move forward with hundreds of the remaining militiamen join in on the charge.

His goal was to move his forces forward and get within firing range to fire at the British if they turned back, or at least divert their attention while the men in Charlestown moved up. The militiamen fired upon a few stragglers that were behind the main retreating force, but it seemed like they had caught the British troops in a full rout. When they climbed Breed Hill, the charging militiamen witnessed hundreds of additional militiamen flanking the British troops and catching them completely by surprise.

The first surrender came several minutes later. While some of the British soldiers were able to return to their ships and boats successfully and flee to the warships in the harbor, hundreds of them surrendered once it became clear that they were stranded and surrounded.

"May I speak to the gentleman in command?" One of the British officers asked as he looked at the surrounding militiamen nervously.

"I am Colonel Kim of the 1st Marine Regiment. Do not worry, your men will be unharmed and will be treated fairly," Colonel Kim replied, giving a stern look to his unit and to the militiamen around him, "I will need to speak to General Putnam about procedures regarding prisoner exchange, but I'm sure you will be returned to Britain in due time."

The British officer looked humiliated, but nodded glumly, "My name is William Howe, General of His Majesty's Army."

Colonel Kim blinked.

+++++

AN: The first British assault (the one that Kim and his regiment fended off) was different than the British assault IOTL's Battle of Bunker Hill. ITTL, the British officers attacked through a direct frontal assault to establish superiority and dominance by force as they believed the colonials were on the verge of running from the battlefield (as only 400 men were on Breed Hill, leading them to mistakenly believe that taking Breed Hill would be an easy task).