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AudioBook information:
Author: Patrick K. O’Donnell
Narrated by: Will Damron
Release date: November 10, 2026
Audiobook Duration: 9 h 42 min

Summary: From the bestselling and award-winning author of Washington’s Immortals and The Indispensables, the dramatic untold story of the snipers whose marksmanship and irregular warfare altered the outcomes of crucial battles and influenced the way the American Revolution was fought

In Revolutionary Snipers, acclaimed military historian Patrick K. O’Donnell vividly brings to life for the first time the exploits of Washington’s finest frontier commandos, whose legendary deadeye shooting offered the Continental Army an evolving and unconventional tactical advantage in the War of Independence. Snipers such as Daniel Morgan, Timothy Murphy, and Samuel Brady were rugged frontiersmen armed with long rifles, a path-breaking American technology that allowed them to attack from a significant distance.

The snipers, the very first members of the Continental Army, quickly struck terror among British troops besieged in Boston in the summer of 1775 by picking off a number of targets. However, their success was checkered by mutiny, an epic journey through the Maine wilderness, and heart-wrenching failure at the gates of Quebec.

O’Donnell follows unforgettable characters in a riveting Band–of–Brothers-style narrative. Despite the setbacks, Washington and his officers perceived a new approach to waging war could emerge from the combined arms of pairing sniper groups with traditional units. The riflemen played vital roles in many pivotal battles—from protecting Washington’s army during its retreat from Manhattan, when some 25 snipers repelled an amphibious landing of hundreds of British soldiers at Throggs Neck, to energizing the momentum-shifting battles at Saratoga and later, in the South, at King’s Mountain and Cowpens.

Unearthing unpublished letters, diaries, and other participant documents, O’Donnell puts listeners dramatically in the moment as riflemen prevented a British charge at Trenton that could have ended the war, employed irregular warfare to counter enemy attempts to re-supply during the critical yet obscure “Forage War” in spring 1777, and contested large swaths of the frontier, at times disguised as Native Americans.

Placing the riflemen front and center throughout the war, Revolutionary Snipers illuminates an unknown aspect of the conflict and is an important addition to our understanding of how the Revolution was won and of an emerging new way of war.

Reviews:

Praise for Revolutionary Snipers:

On the Sons of the American Revolution ‘Henry Knox Bookshelf’ for Winter 2026

“A stirring, weapon-oriented account of battles up to the 1777 victory at Saratoga in which rifles played a major role and, in O’Donnell’s judgment, ‘marked a seismic shift in the war.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A Revolutionary War history focusing on colonial riflemen and the long rifle . . .  [Revolutionary Snipers] shows how these soldiers disrupted British regulars in ways that mattered on the ground . . . The book describes the terrain, weather, and specific decisions to make familiar battles such as Trenton, Saratoga, and Cowpens feel immediate.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“[O’Donnell] Reveals the untold story of the Continental Army’s earliest soldiers and special operators, whose marksmanship and irregular tactics changed pivotal battles in the Revolutionary War . . . These first members of the Continental Army struck terror in British troops in Boston and played crucial roles in battles . . . O’Donnell uncovers unpublished letters and diaries, putting readers in the middle of key moments . . . Revolutionary Snipers illuminates an often-overlooked element of the Revolution, showing how these sharpshooters helped turn the tide and forge a new style of combat.”—The Sons of the American Revolution

“This is a fantastic book, a riveting look at the formative struggle of this nation, zeroing in on the heart of the combat, written with a sniper’s sharp focus on the drama, endurance and heroism of America’s first marksmen. Not to be missed!”—Alex Kershaw, bestselling author of Against All Odds

“Savage, fearless, and often impossible to control, these backwoods warriors fought from Boston to Saratoga, helping turn rebellion into nationhood. Rich in research and charged with action, this is a gripping portrait of the Revolution’s most dangerous men and the violent birth of an American way of war.”—James Lacey, Horner Chair of War Studies at Marine Corps University and author of The Washington War and Moment of Battle

“A rousing account of the American Revolution’s most unconventional soldiers—ragtag, rugged, fiercely independent and sometimes hard to manage, they nonetheless played a crucial role in some of the conflict’s most important fights.”—Don N. Hagist, editor, Journal of the American Revolution

“Fantastic writing. From the first sentence of Revolutionary Snipers, Patrick O’Donnell grabs his reader by the collar and pulls him into a world populated with hard-drinking, rebellious men whose deadly marksmanship skills with their remarkable Pennsylvania rifles would play a pivotal role in securing our nation’s independence from Great Britain. O’Donnell takes us on a wild ride with these men through brutal skirmishes, epic forced marches through barren wilderness to the sprawling, epic battles that defined America’s first generation of warriors. Proud, driven, resourceful men, they shot apples off each other’s heads, boards from between their legs with the same aplomb they displayed when sniping British officers in the thick of a fight. Patrick O’Donnell’s taut narrative and impeccable research brings these remarkable men—and women—to life in the pages of this masterpiece. Not to be missed.”—John R. Bruning, author of Fifty-Three Days on Starvation Island

“The excitement—and bitter violence—of Revolutionary War combat comes alive in Patrick O’Donnell’s gripping narrative of the riflemen who formed the sharp end of Washington’s sword in the struggle for independence. Grounded in superb research, Revolutionary Snipers outlines the soul of America’s citizen soldier, just as vital today as it was 250 years ago.”—Edward G. Lengel, author of General George Washington: A Military Life

“With storytelling flair and meticulous primary source research, Patrick O’Donnell has brought to vivid life the common men of uncommon valor and skill who hoisted their long rifles and marched off in 1775 to take on the mightiest Empire in the world in the name of American Liberty. In a propulsive narrative, O’Donnell weaves together the early strands of the cord of continuity and persistence that runs through 250 years of history, from those rough-hewn frontier riflemen who did so much to win the Republic to the elite special operators who defend it to this day. Revolutionary Snipers is a cracking yarn — and a stirring reminder of just how much we owe this generation of men who led the way down the dark, bloody, and arduous road to independence.”—Jim Cornelius, Frontier Partisans 

“Revolutionary Snipers is a masterpiece of narrative history that transports readers back to a previously untold, bloody history of our war for independence. This is a groundbreaking new look at the war and an exploration of the grit and agency behind the men and women of the Revolutionary generation. It is a book that belongs on every American’s nightstand.”—Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling authorof The Terminal List and The Fourth Option 

“Revolutionary Snipers is mesmerizing history. O’Donnell gives us mastery of the details in an absorbing and elegant book. A must-read and a necessary testament to the courage and skill of these remarkable men.”—Peter Schweizer, investigative journalist and bestselling author 

Praise for The Unvanquished:

The Unvanquished brims with battles that read like Old West gunfights between lawmen and outlaws . . . Told from the eye level of the saddle, seasoned with a dash of early John le Carré, Mr. O’Donnell’s work beautifully brings a covert Civil War out of the shadows.”—Jonathan W. Jordan, Wall Street Journal

“This book highlights an area of Civil War history that is often buried or altogether absent in standard narratives of the war due to the secretive and often clandestine nature of these sorts of operations . . . Civil War scholars, students and enthusiasts alike will find The Unvanquished to be a valued addition to their libraries.”—US Army Magazine

“O’Donnell’s landmark new book is merely the tip of an enthralling iceberg of information and stories you have never read anywhere else.”—The Chattanoogan

“The Unvanquished is a spectacular book from one of America’s finest historians. After years of deep research, Patrick K. O’Donnell has unearthed a magnificent Civil War epic. Beautifully written, every page shimmers . . . Action-packed and original, this triumphant narrative is destined for the screen. Impossible to put down.”—James L. Swanson, Edgar Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer

Praise for The Indispensables:

“Readers who have enjoyed Mr. O’Donnell’s earlier books will not be disappointed with [The Indispensables] . . . The book’s 40 snappy chapters complement his fast-paced writing. . . Those seeking a detailed, reliable account of the War for American Independence’s earliest years—one that embraces its nautical dimensions—will find it here.”—Mark G. Spencer, Wall Street Journal

“Patrick K. O’Donnell has turned five years of research into an engrossing tale.”—Associated Press

“O’Donnell’s masterful storytelling transports readers to the ice-filled Delaware River on 25 December 1776 . . . A solid and articulate book.”—Army History

“Broadly conceived and beautifully written, The Indispensables is an absolutely gripping book . . . Highly recommended reading for anyone wanting to learn more about the real realities of the Revolutionary War.”—James Kirby Martin, co-author of A Respectable Army: The Military Origins of the Republic, 1763-1789

Praise for Washington’s Immortals:

“O’Donnell admirably blends a story of ardent farmers, merchants and mariners with a combat story of sharp, bloody engagements . . . An example of combat writing at its best.”—Wall Street Journal

“History at the combat soldier’s level. O’Donnell’s vivid writing reveals the sights, sounds, smells, fears, and feelings of the men who do the actual fighting in wars.”—Francis P. Sempa, New York Journal of Books

“Few authors have the same kind of enthusiasm and gusto that O’Donnell brings to his topic. His gift is taking the reader from the map room to the battlefield. It’s an exciting, often harrowing, trip worth taking.”—USA Today

About the Author:

Patrick K. O’Donnell is a bestselling, critically acclaimed military historian and the leading authority on American elite and special operations units. The author of fourteen books, including The Unvanquished, The Indispensables, The Unknowns, and Washington’s Immortals, he is a senior fellow at Mount Vernon and has received numerous national awards. O’Donnell served as a combat historian with a Marine rifle platoon during the Battle of Fallujah and is a professional speaker who frequently lectures on America’s conflicts, espionage, special operations, and the Revolutionary War. He has provided historical consulting for DreamWorks’ award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers and for documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Discovery. He lives in Ohio and Virginia.