S8 Ep330: THE LEGACY OF THE MARBLEHEADERS Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. The final segment reflects on the heavy price Marblehead paid for independence, ending the war with a ruined economy and nearly 400 widows. O'Donnell notes that few physical memorials exist toda

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John Batchelor

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🗓️ 17 January 2026

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

THE LEGACY OF THE MARBLEHEADERS Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. The final segment reflects on the heavy price Marblehead paid for independence, ending the war with a ruined economy and nearly 400 widows. O'Donnellnotes that few physical memorials exist today, though John Glover's house and the burial hill are still present. The discussion concludes with a tribute from Henry Knox, who wished legislators understood that without the "men of Marblehead" leading the army across the Delaware, the revolution might have failed. O'Donnell asserts that this "origin story" is indispensable yet has remained largely untold. NUMBER 8
1889

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0:46.5	This is CBS. I'm the world. I'm John Batcher. Patrick O'Donnell. His new book is The Indispensibles.
0:55.6	The story of the Marbleheaders, Marbleheadle, Massachusetts. The diverse soldier mariners who shaped the country, formed the Navy, and rode Washington across the Delaware.
1:02.0	Patrick is an historian of the 21st century, and one of the wonderful discoveries in this book is how much the story of the Marbleheaders are still with us, through plaques, through houses,
1:08.8	through memories, through statues. Patrick, take us to Marblehead today.
1:13.6	Is there recognition of the sacrifice of the town? I believe you report at the end, there was
1:19.4	something more than 350 widows when the war ended. I mentioned John Glover, for example,
1:24.4	who marched back to Marblehead in late 76.
1:34.7	He is again brought back by Washington, who entreated him to come back to fight for Washington.
1:35.8	He made him a general.
1:39.6	And Glover goes on to fight with Gates at Saratoga.
1:42.3	Glover stays in the war all the way to 82.
1:48.4	1782, the Marbleheaders were the backbone of many of these successes.
1:50.4	But today, what is remembered?
1:52.4	Let's start with John Glover.
1:54.9	What is in Marblehead for people to find, Patrick?
	...

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