The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America's Special Operations

by Patrick K. O'Donnell

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

The first book to focus on the unconventional, guerilla warfare fought during the Civil War. This dynamic history combines deep research with gripping narratives to put the soldiers front and center and show how they changed the course of the war.

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special operations, O’Donnell transports readers into the action, immersing them in vivid battle scenes from previously unpublished firsthand accounts.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.

A little-known 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802162861
Publisher:	Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/07/2024
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	6,087
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.30(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Patrick K. O’Donnell is a bestselling, critically acclaimed military historian and an expert on elite units. The author of thirteen books, including The Indispensables, The Unknowns, and Washington’s Immortals, he is the recipient of numerous national awards. O’Donnell served as a combat historian in a Marine rifle platoon during the Battle of Fallujah and is a professional speaker on America’s conflicts, espionage, special operations, and counterinsurgency. He has provided historical consulting for DreamWorks’ award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers and for documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Discovery.

Editorial Reviews

03/18/2024

The earliest modern U.S. special forces first emerged during the Civil War, according to this rip-roaring account from bestseller O’Donnell (The Indispensables). He chronicles the spy missions and covert ops of the Jessie Scouts, Mosby’s Rangers, Blazer’s Scouts, the Confederate Secret Service, and other irregular units, highlighting their development of techniques that form the bedrock of today’s unconventional warfare. The Union Army’s Jessie Scouts were a handpicked unit who donned Confederate uniforms to go behind enemy lines for intelligence gathering and kidnapping missions. A squad led by Lt. Richard Blazer peeled off from the Scouts to hunt down the Confederate Army’s premier guerilla unit, the Mosby’s Rangers; O’Donnell credits Blazer with the astute use of “shoe-leather detective work” to lead his Scouts to their quarry. Nimbly intertwining the stories of these scouts and spies in brief and breezy chapters, O’Donnell emphasizes the innovativeness exhibited by the era’s unconventional forces despite a traditional military establishment who frowned on their “ungentlemanly” behavior. He also provides fascinating analysis of the sinister machinations of the Canadian-based Confederate Secret Service as they “hatched plots” to “rob Northern banks,” “burn cities to the ground,” influence the 1864 presidential election, and even kidnap Abraham Lincoln. It’s an entertaining history of the “shadow war” that defined the future of American special operations. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Indispensables:

Recipient of the Bette Hunt Award from the Marblehead Museum in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Honorable Mention for the 2022 Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award

“Readers who have enjoyed Mr. O’Donnell’s earlier books will not be disappointed with [The Indispensables] . . . Mr. O’Donnell draws upon a variety of primary sources: diaries, letters, orderly books, manuscripts and period newspapers. Secondary sources, old and new, are scoured for apt quotation . . . Mr. O’Donnell’s prose is efficient. The book’s 40 snappy chapters complement his fast-paced writing. He is at his best when it comes to warfare and its apparatus, on land and at sea. Maps help situate the action, as does additional context . . . Those seeking a detailed, reliable account of the War for American Independence’s earliest years—one that embraces its nautical dimensions—will find it here.” —Mark G. Spencer, Wall Street Journal

“Patrick K. O’Donnell has turned five years of research into an engrossing tale.” —Associated Press

“History at the combat soldier’s level. O’Donnell’s vivid writing reveals the sights, sounds, smells, fears, and feelings of the men who do the actual fighting in wars.”—Francis P. Sempa, New York Journal of Books

“O’Donnell’s masterful storytelling transports readers to the ice-filled Delaware River on 25 December 1776 . . . A solid and articulate book.”—Army History

“A vivid account of an impressive Revolutionary War unit and a can’t-miss choice for fans of O’Donnell’s previous books.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Comprehensive . . . Revolutionary War buffs will delight in the copious details and vivid battle scenes.” —Publishers Weekly

“Having saved the fledgling American army from complete destruction at the Battle of Long Island and made Washington’s Christmas Day counterstroke at Trenton possible, the Marblehead Regiment truly was Washington’s indispensable force. Patrick K. O’Donnell’s gift for storytelling brings the once famous regiment back to life, as he takes readers from the highest war councils to the grime and grit of battle, as it was keenly felt by the hard-bitten Marbleheaders. In this vivid and brilliant narrative, O’Donnell demonstrates that he is at the top of his game, as he has now written the one indispensable book on the early and most trying days of the American Revolution.” —Dr. James Lacey, author of The Washington War

“Once again Patrick K. O’Donnell has succeeded in shedding new light on a previously overlooked or unappreciated aspect of American military history. The Indispensables is absolutely fascinating, a beautifully written account of men at war, with great issues in the balance. I know of no finer or more insightful historian of the American soldier’s experience than O’Donnell. Highest recommendation!” —John C. McManus, author of Fire and Fortitude: The U.S. Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943

“Perfectly paced and powerfully wrought, this is the story of common men who gave everything for an ideal—America. The product of meticulous research, The Indispensables is the perfect reminder of who we are, when we need it most.” —Adam Makos, author of the New York Times bestseller A Higher Call

“This is an amazing book about not just a regiment but a community. People from Marblehead contributed to every aspect of the American Revolution’s drama, politically and militarily, in the legislature and on the battlefield, on land and at sea. Patrick O’Donnell gives us a fast-paced, exciting look at Marblehead’s people, men and women, Black, white and Native American, soldier, politician and townsperson, Patriot and Loyalist, a community as diverse as the Revolution itself.” —Don N. Hagist, author of The Revolution’s Last Men and editor of the Journal of the Revolution

“As the American colonies started down the road to American states, localities would often unite under their community leaders for the great struggle they sensed they were a part of. Such was the case of John Glover and his band of Marblehead sailor-soldiers. Historian Patrick K. O’Donnell sets forth in a gripping narrative the transformation of this New England town as it moves from protest to armed revolution. It is a fascinating, unique journey of a band of Massachusetts rebels who play a critical role in George Washington’s, and America’s, success and independence. Mr. O’Donnell’s work is a valuable contribution to furthering our understanding of the role of common soldiers and sailors in America’s founding.” —Todd W. Braisted, author of Grand Forage 1778

“Based on meticulous research in primary source materials, Patrick O’Donnell has woven a gripping narrative that captures the extraordinary story of fighting men of whom few Americans have ever heard, but who nonetheless proved themselves ‘indispensable’ to the cause of American liberty.” —Glenn F. Williams, Ph.D., author of Dunmore’s War: The Last Conflict of America’s Colonial Era

“Broadly conceived and beautifully written, The Indispensables is an absolutely gripping book. Authored by the highly respected historian Patrick K. O’Donnell, it explores the story of the community of Marblehead, MA, and its famous Mariners Regiment, led by the determined John Glover, whose sailors and soldiers made a host of valuable military contributions through the critical battles of Trenton and Princeton. Highly recommended reading for anyone wanting to learn more about the real realities of the Revolutionary War.” —James Kirby Martin, co-author of A Respectable Army: The Military Origins of the Republic, 1763-1789

Praise for Patrick K. O’Donnell:

“One of our finest military historians who has few equals as a great storyteller.” —Carlo D’Este, author of Patton, A Genius for War and Eisenhower, A Soldier’s Life

“Few authors have the same kind of enthusiasm and gusto that O’Donnell brings to his topic. His gift is taking the reader from the map room to the battlefield. It’s an exciting, often harrowing, trip worth taking.” —USA Today

“O’Donnell admirably blends a story of ardent farmers, merchants and mariners with a combat story of sharp, bloody engagements . . . An example of combat writing at its best.” —Wall Street Journal, on Washington’s Immortals

“Patrick O’Donnell is blessed with a rare gift for storytelling and a keen empathy for the realities of soldiers in combat. He walks in the footsteps of his subjects like few other historians are able—or willing—to do.” —John C. McManus, Ph.D., author of The Dead and Those About to Die and Deadly Sky

From the Publisher

O'Donnell is arguably at the forefront of contemporary historians of America's special forces, and this well-written account of the mostly unknown Civil War irregulars is superbly read by Fred Sanders. The history shows how effective both sides' irregulars were and how their actions and legacy were an inspiration for the formation of American Special Operations in WWII. The author focuses on the Federal Jessie Scouts and Confederate Mosby's Rangers in Northern Virginia but also on both sides' secret services. The audiobook ends with U.S. covert operations in French-occupied Mexico after the Civil War. The stories are all amazing and needed to be told. Sanders's deep, authoritative voice is a good match to the text. His delivery is somewhat staccato, but his enunciation is deliberate and clear. M.T.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

JUNE 2024 - AudioFile