7/8: The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and theShadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations Hardcover – by Patrick K. O'Donnell (Author)
The John Batchelor Show
John Batchelor
4.5 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 5 July 2024
⏱️ 14 minutes
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Summary
7/8: The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and theShadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations Hardcover – by Patrick K. O'Donnell (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/Unvanquished-Lincolns-Special-Americas-Operations/dp/080216286X
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, theunconventional 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.
April 3, 1865, Union Army enters Richmond
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is a civil war story in the world. I'm John Bachelor with Patrick K O'Donnell. |
| 0:09.0 | The best-selling author of The Unvanquished, this is a Civil War story in the Saddle. |
| 0:16.6 | These are the irregular forces of the Union and the Confederacy. |
| 0:21.4 | The untold story of Lincoln Special Forces. It is now early 1865 and a man named |
| 0:29.6 | Young comes forward. Blazer is captured. He's going to have a rough time in prison, but Harry Harrison Young, a man who blossoms in warfare. |
| 0:39.0 | How so, Patrick, what did Young think about warfare young was absolutely fearless in |
| 0:46.6 | battle and in reckless daring what Sheridan had done is after Blazer Scouts kind of, there's some elements that remain, but the Jesse Scouts are still there. |
| 1:02.4 | He needed a commander for the scouts. but the Jesse Scouts are still there. |
| 1:03.0 | He needed a commander for the Scouts, |
| 1:05.0 | and the perfect match happens to be Young, |
| 1:09.0 | who takes command of the group |
| 1:12.0 | and the elements of Blazer Scouts. |
| 1:15.0 | Some of them actually filter into the Jesse Scouts. |
| 1:19.8 | They are then used as a strategic asset for Philip Sheridan to lead his armies primarily. |
| 1:27.0 | These are men that are in Confederate uniform that are sent out in front of the army to find weak points to provide tactical and strategic |
| 1:36.3 | intelligence but also deliver messages between the armies and to manhunt for partisans as well. |
| 1:44.0 | And Young takes command. |
| 1:46.3 | He's only 5-5 but absolutely fearless in battle. |
| 1:49.4 | And one of their first, one of his first training missions is he takes the Jesse Scouts and assembles them for a battle. |
| 2:00.8 | They ambush an entire southern regiment. |
| 2:05.0 | Only 50 men are so strong. |
| 2:08.0 | And it's sort of a suicide mission, but he wants to demonstrate |
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