Colonel William Prescott was a pivotal figure in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War, renowned for his leadership during the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. Born in Groton, Massachusetts, in 1726, Prescott hailed from a prosperous family with deep colonial roots. He married Abigail Hale in 1758 and settled in the neighboring town of Pepperell—together they had one child. Before the Revolution, Prescott gained military experience during King George’s War and the French and Indian War, where he served with distinction and declined a commission in the British Army to return to farming.

In 1774, as tensions with Britain escalated, Prescott became actively involved in resisting British policies. He supported the people of Boston during the Boston Port Act and led militia companies to Concord in April 1775. Following the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, Prescott joined the Siege of Boston, leading over a thousand militiamen to fortify Breed’s Hill on the night of June 16, 1775. Despite limited resources and ammunition, Prescott’s forces constructed a redoubt and prepared for the impending British assault.

The ensuing Battle of Bunker Hill saw Prescott’s troops repel two British charges. On the third, with ammunition running low, he ordered a retreat. Prescott is remembered for calmly strolling the earthworks under fire to inspire his men, and for his precise order to conserve ammunition and make every shot count: “Aim low, boys. Fire at their waistbands, and wait ’till you see the whites of their eyes.” Although the British captured the hill that day, they suffered significant casualties, demonstrating the resolve of the colonial forces.

After the battle, Prescott continued to serve in the Continental Army, participating in campaigns around New York City and at Saratoga. He retired from active military service in 1778 due to illness and injury. Subsequently, Prescott served in the Massachusetts legislature and played a role in suppressing Shays’s Rebellion, an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts led by farmers who were struggling to pay high taxes and debts, in 1786. He died in 1795 at the age of 69 and is buried in Pepperell’s Walton Cemetery.

In 1881, a bronze statue of Colonel Prescott was unveiled at the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. The statue, created by sculptor William W. Story, depicts Prescott walking atop the redoubt during the battle, symbolizing his leadership and bravery. The Bunker Hill Monument Association, which commissioned the statue, had initially planned additional statues to honor other officers, but financial constraints limited the project to Prescott’s likeness.

Prescott’s legacy endures through various memorials and institutions named in his honor, including the former town of Prescott (disincorporated in 1938 as part of the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir), and the Prescott School in Groton (repurposed as the Prescott Community Center). The 1899 Bunker Hill Memorial Bench, at the corner of Main and Park Streets in Pepperell, was a gift to the town from Edith Prescott Wolcott, Prescott’s great-great-granddaughter.