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Washington's Immortals
Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution | Patrick O'Donnell
7 posts | 4 read | 6 to read
In August 1776, little over a month after the Continental Congress had formally declared independence from Britain, the revolution was on the verge of a sudden and disastrous end. General George Washington found his troops outmanned and outmaneuvered at the Battle of Brooklyn, and it looked like there was no escape. But thanks to a series of desperate rear guard attacks by a single heroic regiment, famously known as the Immortal 400, Washington was able to evacuate his men and the nascent Continental Army lived to fight another day. Today, only a modest, rusted and scarred metal sign near a dilapidated auto garage marks the mass grave where the bodies of the Maryland Heroes lie256 men who fell in the Battle of Brooklyn. In Washingtons Immortals, best-selling military historian Patrick K. ODonnell brings to life the forgotten story of this remarkable band of brothers. Known as gentlemen of honour, family, and fortune, they fought not just in Brooklyn, but in key battles including Trenton, Princeton, Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, and Yorktown, where their heroism changed the course of the war. Drawing on extensive original sources, from letters to diaries to pension applications, ODonnell pieces together the stories of these brave mentheir friendships, loves, defeats, and triumphs. He explores their arms and tactics, their struggles with hostile loyalists and shortages of clothing and food, their development into an elite unit, and their dogged opponents, including British General Lord Cornwallis. And through the prism of this one group, ODonnell tells the larger story of the Revolutionary War. Washingtons Immortals is gripping and inspiring boots-on-the-ground history, sure to appeal to a wide readership.
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Texreader
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Please tell me whether to keep going. I bought this book to read about the elite Maryland force that saved America but it was told in short order in chapter 10. Really, I do not lie. It‘s a fraction of what the book‘s about! The rest of this chunkster (43 chapters, 8000+ epages!) appears to be details about each battle of the war. I‘m sorely disappointed. Battle history, not my thing. Should I bail or try to learn the Revolutionary battles? 😬

WanderingBookaneer Bail! There are other books you can read to learn about the battles. 5y
alisiakae I agree, bail! 5y
ljuliel If you don‘t like reading about war battles , toss it. I‘ll bet you have another book there you‘ll like more. 👍🏼 5y
See All 8 Comments
charl08 Hate it when books are promoted like this: bail. 5y
GingerAntics BAIL!!! I absolutely vote bail. Battle lovers are a very special kind of historian. That madness is not for many (most?) people. 5y
Texreader @WanderingBookaneer @4thhouseontheleft @ljuliel @charl08 I think the way they are getting away with that marketing ploy is that there were 7 survivors of the MD “elite,” so the author supposedly covers the battles those 7 fought in after the rest died. I‘m bailing. That‘s a pretty attenuated argument to be the “untold” story and it‘s not especially well-written. 5y
Texreader @GingerAntics See my response above 👆🏻. I‘m going to bail. I‘m amazed I made it to chapter 10. 5y
GingerAntics Ugh. That sounds horrendous! I‘m glad you bailed on that madness. It does seem like deceptive marketing. Ugh. 5y
52 likes8 comments
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Texreader
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This book describes England‘s substantially better army: British soldiers fighting in America averaged 9 years of fighting experience; the rebels, 0-9 months. General Washington had to be at his most persuasive to embolden his army to fight:

“The time is near at hand which must probably determine whether or not Americans are to be free men or slaves. . . . The fate of unborn millions now depend, under God, on the courage . . . of this Army.”

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Texreader
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1. Tagged, plus Crucible, In Cold Blood, and How to Stop Time

2. “To quash this nascent insurrection, the Crown planned to intimidate the rebellious colonies with a show of force.”

3. Water

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

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Texreader
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Unable to get back to sleep, and sorely disappointed in the ebooks I‘ve been trying to read tonight, I‘ve decided to embark on an adventure with this ebook chunkster. It looks amazing from the preface! Here we go!

Crazeedi I've heard of them, now I must put this in my radar. Sounds excellent, and story that needs retold to this generation, what our founders did because of the idea of a country of people who can govern themselves, a totally unique concept in history 5y
66 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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Going to have to buy this one today!

Crazeedi Sounds good!! I love history! 5y
51 likes1 comment
review
Oblomov26
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Pickpick

Listened to this book on Audio. A history of the Maryland line in the American revolutionary war which fought from the beginning of the conflict to the final English defeat at Yorktown fighting alongside French infantry. Units most famous action was the Battle of Long Island, when despite significant losses (the first regiment suffered 90% killed or captured) they held the British advance long enough to allow the retreat of continental army

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shawnmooney
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