O'Donnell, Patrick K.

"From the bestselling author of The Indispensables, the unknown and dramatic story of irregular guerrilla warfare that altered the course of the Civil War and inspired the origins of America's modern special operations forces. The Civil War is most remembered for the grand battles that have come to define it: Gettysburg, Antietam, Shiloh, among others. However, as bestselling author Patrick K. O'Donnell reveals in The Unvanquished, a vital shadow war raged amid and away from the major battlefields that was in many ways equally consequential to the conflict's outcome. At the heart of this groundbreaking narrative is the epic story of Lincoln's special forces, the Jessie Scouts, told in its entirety for the first time. In a contest fought between irregular units, the Scouts hunted John Singleton Mosby's Confederate Rangers from the middle of 1863 up to war's end at Appomattox. With both sides employing pioneering tradecraft, they engaged in dozens of raids and spy missions, often perilously wearing the other's uniform, risking penalty of death if captured. Clashing violently on horseback, the unconventional units attacked critical supply lines, often capturing or killing high-value targets. North and South deployed special operations that could have changed the war's direction in 1864, and crucially during the Appomattox Campaign, Jessie Scouts led the Union army to a final victory. They later engaged in a history-altering proxy war against France in Mexico, earning seven Medals of Honor; many Scouts mysteriously disappeared during that conflict, taking their stories to their graves. An expert on special operations, O'Donnell transports readers into the action, immersing them in vivid battle scenes from previously unpublished firsthand accounts. He introduces indelible characters such as Scout Archibald Rowand; Scout leader Richard Blazer; Mosby, the master of guerrilla warfare; and enslaved spy Thomas Laws. O'Donnell also brings to light the Confederate Secret Service's covert efforts to deliver the 1864 election to Peace Democrats through ballot fraud, election interference, and attempts to destabilize a population fatigued by a seemingly forever war. Most audaciously, the Secret Service and Mosby's Rangers planned to kidnap Abraham Lincoln in order to maintain the South's independence. The first full chronicle of the shadow war between North and South, rich in action and offering original perspective on history, The Unvanquished is a dynamic and essential addition to the literature of the Civil War"--.

A never-before-told World War II story of Jewish soldiers on a dangerous mission within the Third Reich--a tale of adventure, espionage, love, and revenge.

"On the stormy night of August 29, 1776, the Continental Army faced annihilation. After losing the Battle of Brooklyn, the British had Washington's army trapped against the East River. The fate of the Revolution rested heavily on the shoulders of the soldier-mariners from Marblehead, Massachusetts. Serving side-by-side in one of the country's first diverse units, they pulled off an "American Dunkirk" and saved the army. In the annals of the American Revolution, no group played a more consequential role than the Marbleheaders. At the right time in the right place, they repeatedly altered the course of events, and their story shines new light on our understanding of the Revolution. As acclaimed historian Patrick K. O'Donnell dramatically recounts, beginning nearly a decade before the war started, Marbleheaders such as Elbridge Gerry and Azor Orne spearheaded the break with Britain and helped shape the nascent United States by playing a crucial role governing, building alliances, seizing British ships, and forging critical supply lines that established the origins of the US Navy"--Provided by publisher.

Tells the story of the creation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetary in Arlington, Virginia and of the eight Body Bearers, each a distinguished soldier in his own right, who carried the unknown soldier to his final resting place.

The Navy SEALs history stretches back to World War II when US intelligence officials formed a team of special-operation combat swimmers. Under the leadership of Captain Jack Taylor, a California dentist, the Maritime Unit (MU) started training in 1942, learning underwater and covert operation techniques, as it developed an array of James Bond-like new equipment, including the recently invented underwater breathing apparatus, limpet mines, silent electric motors, and a collapsible eight-foot submarine. Finally deployed in 1944, the unit conducted some of the most daring, behind-enemy-lines operations of the war in Italy, where they linked up with fearsome Italian commandos. In one of its greatest coups, they captured the plans--and the architect--of Germany's famed Gothic Line, resulting in the Eighth Army's partial breakthrough. Filled with unforgettable characters, including the unit's charismatic leader, a Hollywood star, and a gritty New York City gas station owner, The First SEALs cinematically narrates one of the greatest untold stories of World War II and links their storied past to today's gloried US Navy SEALs.

"In August 1776, General George Washington's army faced off against over 20,000 British and Hessian soldiers at the Battle of Brooklyn. It was almost the end of the war. But thanks to a series of desperate bayonet charges by a single heroic regiment from Maryland, known as the "Immortal 400," Washington was able to retreat and regroup"--OCLC.

Profiles the men and women who served as operatives, spies, and saboteurs for the United States during World War II.

Recounts the experiences of the marines who served in the George Company during the Korean War, describing how they overcame tremendous odds to defeat Chinese troops at the Chosin Reservoir.

A collection of personal accounts about the experiences of World War II soldiers fighting in the Pacific which were gathered from Patrick O'Donnell's website.