The shadow fighters of the civil war

The Civil War is remembered for its great battles: Gettysburg, Atlanta, Antietam. Less well known are the small troops recruited by both sides to fight far from the battlefields.

These ruthless soldiers relied on their stealth to sneak behind enemy lines – often in their opponent’s uniform – to destroy supply lines, assassinate military officials, and gather vital intelligence.

Today we know this type of warfare as “shadow ops” – a specialty of military historian Patrick K. O’Donnell. A street sign he happened to spot in rural Virginia sparked years of research into the Civil War-era special forces commissioned by President Lincoln to conduct espionage operations and secret missions against Confederate forces.

This week he spoke with MPR News host Kerri Miller on “Big Books and Bold Ideas” about his new book, “The Unvanquished,” which masterfully tells the story of this forgotten chapter of history.

Guest:

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