Washington's Immortals - Perspectives in Military History Lecture Series

May 16, 2018 - Mr. Patrick O'Donnell

In late August 1776, General George Washington commanded a panicked, trapped army of green Continental Soldiers on Long Island. Outflanked, Washington was desperate to save his men before the British could wipe out the hope of an American nation, just a short month after declaring independence. The nascent rebellion was saved, however, by just 400 Soldiers from Maryland. The "Immortal 400" guarded Washington’s rear so the majority of his army could retreat to defenses on Brooklyn Heights, and eventually to Manhattan, ready to fight another day. The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center hosted Mr. Patrick O’Donnell as he gave a lecture based on his book, Washington’s Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution. Mr. O’Donnell tells the tale of the 400 Marylanders, a band of brothers, who not only fell in New York, but also at Trenton, Princeton, Cowpens, Camden, and Yorktown.

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