William Prescott

William Prescott was an American colonel in the Revolutionary War who commanded the patriot forces in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Prescott is known for his order to his soldiers, "Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes", such that the rebel troops may shoot at the enemy at shorter ranges, and therefore more accurately and lethally, and so conserve their limited stocks of ammunition. It is debated whether Prescott or someone earlier coined this memorable saying.

20 February 1726

Born on the same birth day (20 February): Alan Hull • Anthony Head • Artur Boruc • Bobby Unser • Brian Littrell • Carl Westman • David Corn • E. H. Harriman • Enzo Ferrari • Ian Brown • Ivana Trump • Jack Falahee • Jay Hernandez • John Charles Daly • Larry Hovis • Lim Kit Siang • Mary Garden • Nicolas Chédeville • Paul Accola • Pierre Bouchard • Richard Matheson • Steve Lundquist • Trevor Noah

Born in the same month (February 1726): Margaret Fownes-Luttrell • Patrick Russell (herpetologist)