Military historian Patrick O’Donnell puts a spotlight on America’s original Special Forces units:

Founded in Missouri by Major General John C. Fremont, (and ‘named’ after his wife) the Jessie Scouts were a valuable intelligence cadre for President Lincoln during the Civil War. On the other side were Mosby’s Rangers and the Confederate Secret Service. Created to infiltrate and disrupt, these groups operated behind enemy lines, sometimes disguised as women or opposing soldiers, taking huge risks to accomplish their missions. They also participated in combat, beginning at the Second Battle of Manassas (or Bull Run.) Patrick describes these remarkable groups, and the plot to assassinate President Lincoln in his book, “The Unvanquished.”

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