Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution

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.