Patrick K. O'Donnell > Quotes

“According to legend, because he spoke little English, von Steuben relied on a translator to chew out the men, frequently yelling, “Over here! Swear at him for me!” when his insults in French and German failed to achieve the desired results.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“They were firing down at us and throwing down potato masher grenades, and they also cut some ropes. I don’t really know how we got up the cliff.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc—the Rangers Who Accomplished D-Day's Toughest Mission and Led the Way across Europe

“Mosby warned against revisionist history: “Now while I think as badly of slavery as Horace Greeley did, I am not ashamed that my family were slaveowners. It was our inheritance—Neither am I that my ancestors were pirates or cattle thieves. People must be judged by the standard of their age.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“As one officer described, “Such flirtations and conversations, flew like musket balls. The sweet strains of music ever rising and falling in rhythmic waves … we lived in ecstasy.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“Being a Scout required “the coolest courage, and the clearest head and quickest wit. He passes the enemy’s lines, sits at his campfire, penetrates even the presences of the commanding General,”8 recalled one contemporary historian. Each operation honed the Scouts’ experience and tactics as the unit continued to evolve.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“Many OSS veterans mentioned the OSS connection to the Civil War.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“Technology drove tactics.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“The Marbleheaders were one of the first and most diverse regiments in the colonies and, later, the army.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware

“I would furnish captured horses in consideration of their going with me on a few raids,”48 wrote Mosby. The Rangers procured most of their mounts and equipment from the Union raids they conducted.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“It was dim inside, the only light filtering in through small windows. For a moment I hesitated, and said a prayer, inaudible, inarticulate, yet real. Then I looked around. That scene will remain with me forever. Each casket was draped with a beautiful American flag. Never before had the flag seemed to have such sublime significance and beauty. About the walls were other flags, American and French; flower petals had been scattered over the floor, and outside I could hear the band playing a hymn.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home

“With a brave and disciplined body of men, however strong may be their momentary impulses for self-preservation, their secondary and controlling impulses are to stand by their stations and do their duty.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home

“a deadly epidemic spurring profound political divisions that would play a role in the Revolution. Experience gained from that event would have an impact on one of George Washington’s most consequential decisions: to inoculate the army.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware

“A genius in war, Grant consistently won battles and campaigns that had been rare in the Union Army during the early years of the conflict.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“Much of it boiled down to the fact that Americans don’t like to be told what to do. As he then responded, “Young man, what we meant in going for those red-coats was this: we always had governed ourselves, and we always meant to. They didn’t mean we should.”4 Sovereignty.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware

“The precious tactical intelligence furnished by the Scouts became the lifeblood on which crucial decisions flowed.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“Grant laid out a crushing plan of constant attack and pressure, “to employ all the force of all the armies continually and concurrently, so that there should be no recuperation on the part of the Rebel, no rest from attack, no opportunity to reinforce first one and then another point with the same troops, at different seasons; no possibility of profiting by the advantages of interior lines; no chance to furlough troops, to reorganize armies, or recreate supplies; no respite of any sort, anywhere, until absolute submission ended the War.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“the radical American principles of liberty and freedom drew more colonists to the Patriot side. These novel, world-changing ideas and ideals, while radical at the time, fueled one of the greatest revolutions in history and would inspire and influence generations.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware

“The Marblehead Regiment was blessed with considerable talent. Natural leaders who spent their lives ordering men in extreme hardships, sea captains commanded many of the companies, as they were well practiced in making split-second, lifesaving decisions involving one of the most brutal forces of nature: the ocean. Many of the men they commanded were weathered from the sea and worked as a team on the cramped quarters of fishing schooners, where each man depended on the other: race was eclipsed by survival.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware

“Whoever you be, your gallant deeds are indelibly inscribed in the pages of history to the glory of your nation, and as long as free States endure will your exploits be sung.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home

“The soldiers who participated in that unorthodox assault would become known as the Immortals or the Maryland 400. With their blood, these men bought, in the words of one American, “an hour, more precious to American liberty than any other in its history.” Gist and several men in his group escaped to fight future battles that changed the fate of a nation.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“While neither the British nor the Americans realized it at the time, Guilford Courthouse altered the course of the war. It changed the strategy of both sides: it halted a potentially disastrous pending Patriot attack on New York, stopped the British conquest of the Carolinas, and set the stage for a stunning defeat of a British army at Yorktown.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“Everything depended on “getting the bulge on them,” what Rangers referred to as seizing the initiative by gaining an advantage with a violent and powerful attack that often stunned their opponents.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“Eventually, he rode to within thirty paces of the British lines, presenting a tempting target to the Redcoats. A tremendous volley rang out as enemy marksmen aimed for the general. One of Washington’s aides covered his own eyes with his hat rather than watch, but when the smoke cleared, Washington still remained on his horse, calling on his men to join him in facing the enemy.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“The military value of a partisan’s work is not measured by the amount of property destroyed, or the number of men killed or captured, but by the number [of the enemy] he keeps watching [him]. Every soldier withdrawn from the front to guard the rear of an army is so much taken from its fighting strength.”33”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“With no good option before him, Cornwallis decided on his own to march into Virginia despite having no orders to that effect from Clinton—a fateful decision that put his army and the entire war at risk.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“Donovan despised red tape and bureaucracy, and his door was open to members of any rank or station for innovative suggestions.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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

“As the bulk of Washington’s army retreated east of the Brandywine toward Chester, Pennsylvania, Howe once again failed to vigorously pursue his defeated foe. Passing through Chester, Washington veered slightly north, then marched through Darby, Pennsylvania. His force then crossed a pontoon bridge that spanned the Schuylkill at Middle Ferry, near today’s Market Street Bridge in Philadelphia.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“Stand your ground! Don’t fire unless fired upon!” “But if they want a war, let it begin here.”9”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware

“portentous storm”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

“A scout is a man who finds out how far the enemy’s pickets extend, the position and strength of the enemy, and also ascertains such general facts as may be useful in the conduct of war. There are no rules for the operations of scouts: they are generally independent and have little if any organization; they are in fact, spies. You cannot call ‘us fellows’ anything less than spies, but scout is a more respectable name. Scouts are armed, and either fight or surrender, according to the chances.”
― Patrick K. O'Donnell, 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