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Before SEALs & Delta Force: Snipers in the Revolutionary War

The Team House

Hosted by Jack Murphy

1h 46m
Transcript

Original podcast

Summary

Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.

Historian Pat O'Donnell joins hosts Jack Murphy and Dave Parke on The Team House to discuss his new book, Revolutionary Snipers, tracing the marksmen, frontiersmen, and long hunters who formed the first companies of the Continental Army. O'Donnell and the hosts explore the grueling realities of the American Revolution, detailing epic undertakings such as Benedict Arnold's disastrous expedition through the wilderness of Quebec, the strategic development of combined-arms tactics pairing riflemen with musket men at Saratoga, and the brutal guerrilla warfare of the Forage War in New Jersey. The conversation highlights key figures like Daniel Morgan, Timothy Murphy, and the tragic turn of Benedict Arnold, examining how grit, endurance, and revolutionary technology sustained an insurgency against the greatest empire in the world.

  • Frontier marksmen brought the Pennsylvania long rifle, which offered superior accuracy up to 300 or 400 yards compared to standard muskets. 8:48
  • Arnold's expedition to Quebec forced starving troops to endure extreme hardships, including boiling shot pouches and leather belts for food. 15:15
  • Washington and his commanders pioneered combined-arms tactics at Saratoga by pairing fragile, slow-loading rifles with musket battalions. 1:01:30
  • Daniel Morgan utilized a defense-in-depth tactic with multiple lines of defense, culminating in a decisive victory at the Battle of Cowpens. 1:11:16

Chapters

  1. 0:00
    Introduction and Sponsorship Announcement

    Hosts introduce the episode and reveal Vera Watches as the new presenting sponsor.

  2. 1:16
    Vera Watches Brand Overview

    Hosts detail Vera Watches’ history, manufacturing locations, and product features.

  3. 4:08
    Guest Introduction: Pat O'Donnell

    Hosts welcome historian Pat O'Donnell and discuss his previous work on the OSS and Civil War.

  4. 6:19
    Motivation for Writing Revolutionary Snipers

    O'Donnell explains his trilogy focus and why he chose to write about Revolutionary War snipers.

  5. 10:12
    Early Riflemen and the Pennsylvania Long Rifle

    The discussion covers the origins, design, and tactical advantages of the Pennsylvania long rifle.

  6. 20:30
    Logistics and Challenges of the Quebec Expedition

    O'Donnell describes the arduous journey, starvation, and survival tactics of the riflemen en route to Quebec.

  7. 21:37
    Battle of Quebec and Jemima Warner

    Hosts recount the siege of Quebec, the role of Jemima Warner, and the significance of the battle.

  8. 1:00:05
    Revolutionary Snipers: Lessons from the Past

    The host discusses how historical lessons from revolutionary snipers can inform modern military tactics.

  9. 1:00:54
    Combined Arms at Saratoga

    Exploration of how musketeers and riflemen were paired to counter British bayonet charges during the Battle of Saratoga.

  10. 1:01:40
    The Battle of Freeman's Farm

    Detailing the tactical movements and outcomes of Freeman's Farm, highlighting the effectiveness of riflemen.

  11. 1:07:49
    Saratoga's Turning Point and Aftermath

    Discussing Saratoga as a turning point, the subsequent British surrender, and the influence on French involvement.

  12. 2:00:00
    The Forage War and Washington’s Strategy

    The conversation explores Washington’s use of riflemen to disrupt British supply lines during the winter of 1777.

Highlights

  • 8:48

    The Widowmaker Technologyinsight

    The Pennsylvania long rifle revolutionized 18th-century combat with its longer barrel, lighter weight, and accuracy at 300 to 400 yards.

  • 15:15

    Starvation and Survival in Quebecstory

    During the grueling march to Quebec, starving soldiers were reduced to boiling their leather belts and shot pouches to eat.

  • 32:35

    Assault on Quebec Defensesstory

    Daniel Morgan scaled wooden barricades during a fierce snowstorm on New Year's Eve, fighting at point-blank range before being overwhelmed.

  • 34:03

    The Death of Montgomerydata

    General Montgomery was killed instantly when a drunken sailor fired a final cannon shot from a barricade during the assault on Quebec.

  • 1:01:30

    Pioneering Combined Armsstrategy

    Washington and his officers solved the vulnerability of slow-loading rifles to bayonet charges by pairing riflemen with musket-carrying battalions.

  • 1:07:16

    The Surrender at Saratogadebate

    Fear of the deadly American snipers paralyzed Burgoyne's forces, leading to the surrender of an entire British field army.

  • 1:10:12

    Rebuilding the Southern Armyinsight

    Daniel Morgan came out of retirement at Washington's request to rebuild the shattered remnants of the Continental Army in the South.

Quotes

  • “They can shoot 300 or 400 yards, whereas a typical musket, which most of the members of Continental Army, as well as the British Army, was, it was barely even accurate at 50 yards.”
    Unnamed speaker · 9:49
  • “They did not. And it's that core that will form the backbone of the cause that will prevail against all odds.”
    Unnamed speaker · 40:11
  • “The rifle, on the other hand, was much slower, and its stock was fragile.”
    Unnamed speaker · 10:12
  • “The men, um, lay siege or invest Quebec City, which is a fortress town.”
    Unnamed speaker · 20:30
  • “And this is an incredibly important thing that we now know today, that we utilize.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:01:40
  • “The, it was what the army feared the most, the corps that the army feared the most, these men, because they were terrified of them.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:06:42
  • “And it's, it's the revolutionary snipers that are, that are on that fault line and play just a huge role.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:08:05
  • “They had to take moss and put it under their, the belts for their cartridge boxes on their shoulders because it was rubbing their shoulders raw.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:14:27
  • OnDeck 0:00–0:28
  • Humana 0:30–1:00
  • Vera Watches 1:04–3:41
  • BlueChew 25:36–26:57
  • Ghostbed 27:00–29:40
  • Quince 28:29–30:29
  • OnDeck 31:35–32:04
  • Humana 32:07–32:35
  • Humana 1:32:23–1:34:26
  • Vera Watches 1:46:58–1:50:27
  • Extensure 1:50:18–1:51:35
  • Underdog 1:51:03–1:52:40
  • Spinquest 1:52:00–1:53:12
  • OnDeck 1:52:59–1:57:30
  • Extensure 1:57:39–1:58:40
  • Underdog 1:58:40–1:59:06
  • Spinquest 1:59:02–1:59:37
  • OnDeck 1:59:24–2:00:08
  • Extensure 2:00:07–2:01:17
  • Underdog 2:01:11–2:01:46
  • Spinquest 2:01:59–2:02:18
  • OnDeck 2:02:18–2:02:45
  • GSK 2:02:57–2:03:57
  • Spinquest 2:04:30–2:04:58
  • OnDeck 2:04:58–2:05:23
  • GSK 2:05:34–2:06:34
  • Spinquest 2:07:49–2:08:10
  • OnDeck 2:08:13–2:08:41
  • GSK 2:08:53–2:09:53
  • Spinquest 2:10:35–2:10:54
  • OnDeck 2:10:55–2:11:23
  • GSK 2:11:31–2:12:31
  • Spinquest 2:13:00–2:13:32
  • OnDeck 2:13:33–2:14:01
  • GSK 2:14:11–2:15:11
  • Spinquest 2:15:51–2:16:16
  • OnDeck 2:16:11–2:17:40
  • Spinquest 2:18:22–2:18:44
  • OnDeck 2:18:45–2:19:11
  • GSK 2:19:13–2:20:09
  • Spinquest 2:20:55–2:21:16
  • X Program 2:21:30–2:21:44
  • Pillsbury 2:21:47–2:22:14

About this episode

Historian Patrick K. O’Donnell returns to discuss Revolutionary Snipers, the story of the elite riflemen, scouts, and frontiersmen who helped shape the American Revolution from Quebec and Trenton to Saratoga, Cowpens, and Yorktown. We also dig into Daniel Morgan, Benedict Arnold, the brutal realities of 18th-century warfare, and how these early marksmen helped pioneer tactics that would echo through American special operations history. Grab Revolutionary Snipers here: https://a.co/d/016sdflC Grab all of Pat's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001HD3XV2/allbooks?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=aufs_ap_ahdr_dsk_ab&pd_rd_w=FO3ao&content-id=amzn1.sym.7e190e19-9f6f-4df8-807a-5a7608594741&pf_rd_p=7e190e19-9f6f-4df8-807a-5a7608594741&pf_rd_r=134-8478678-6951434&pd_rd_wg=Z04OS&pd_rd_r=36f5cf27-ed23-4256-99a2-0ce95e0c3084&ccs_id=38f725f7-e3a0-4e5c-b711-ec16977af65f Today's Sponsors: VAER Watches ⬇️ https://www.vaerwatches.com/theteamhouse get a free watch roll with your purchase. 20% for active duty, veteran, leo, & first responders GhostBed ⬇️ https://www.ghostbed.com/house FOR 10% off! Quince⬇️ go to: https://www.quince.com/house for free shipping and 365 day returns Blue Chew ⬇️ https://bluechew.com/ Get 1 month free when you buy 2 of BlueChew Gold with code "HOUSECALL" For ad free video and audio and access to live streams... Subscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️ https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse ___________________________________________________ GRAB JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/ Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featured Social Media: ⬇️ The Team House Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_link The Team House Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePod Jack’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_link Jack’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21 Team House Discord: ⬇️ https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6 00:00 – Start 01:16 – The First Revolutionary Snipers 04:59 – The Pennsylvania Long Rifle, the “Widowmaker” 09:34 – The Riflemen Mutiny 10:16 – Benedict Arnold & the March to Quebec 11:21 – Starvation in the Maine Wilderness 16:23 – The Siege of Quebec 20:05 – Daniel Morgan’s Rise 24:02 – Fort Ticonderoga & Benedict Arnold 29:40 – Hessian Mercenaries & Britain’s Manpower Problem 34:57 – Washington Confronts British Atrocities 36:53 – The Forgotten Forage War 37:40 – Trenton & the Sniper Shot That Changed the Battle 42:14 – Washington Strikes at Princeton 45:47 – Washington Creates the Rifle Corps 47:24 – Morgan’s Rifle Corps Heads to Saratoga 54:27 – General Fraser Goes Down 56:24 – Burgoyne’s Army Surrenders at Saratoga 1:00:20 – Cowpens & Morgan’s Defense in Depth 1:03:59 – Yorktown & the End of the War 1:17:26 – Benedict Arnold: From Hero to Traitor Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss.

Transcript

0:00
1:46:42

21,237 words · 7 speakers

Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

Topics

  • Revolutionary Snipers
  • Barnes & Noble
  • C4 Tactical Field Watch
  • Pennsylvania long rifle
  • Widowmaker
  • Rhode Island
  • Depamocumab ULAA

Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated