Don’t one of you fire until you see the whites of their eyes.

The line is traditionally associated with the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, during the Battle of Bunker Hill (specifically the fighting on Breed’s Hill) on June 17, 1775. Colonial militia, short of ammunition and facing disciplined British regulars advancing uphill, were urged to hold their fire until the enemy was at very close range to maximize effectiveness. The saying is often attributed to Col. William Prescott, who commanded much of the colonial defense on the redoubt, though contemporary documentation is thin and later accounts sometimes credit other officers (notably Israel Putnam or John Stark). It survives chiefly as a remembered battlefield injunction rather than a verbatim, securely sourced quotation.

The remark encapsulates tactical restraint under pressure: discipline matters more than eagerness, and scarce resources must be used decisively. “Whites of their eyes” is vivid shorthand for point‑blank range—close enough that a volley is likely to hit and disrupt an advancing line. In cultural memory, the phrase also signals the colonists’ resolve and coolness against a professional army, turning a practical command into a symbol of Revolutionary grit. Its enduring power comes from the blend of immediacy (a concrete visual cue) and moral drama (ordinary soldiers urged to wait, aim, and act with purpose).

1) "Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes."
2) "Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes."
3) "Wait till you see the whites of their eyes."