Patrick O'Donnell author of "Washington's Immortals" Brings "The Battle of Brooklyn" to Life

Tonight at the NY Historic Socieity, concurrent with the exhibit "The Battle of Brooklyn," author Patrick O'Donnell "Washington's Immortals…" enlightened us on the largest battle between the American colonists & the British Royal Army.  The singles largest battle of the Rvolutionary War on Aug 27, 1776, occurred in our midst in Brooklyn.  This bloody battle nearly demolished Washington's army and may have terminated the colonial uprising within weeks of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  O'Donnell is a best-selling military historian and served as a war correspondent in Iraq.  Hearing O'Donnell speak in conversation with Richard Brookhiser, author of "George Washington on Leadership" was a master class in the birth of our nation, nearly annihilated at its inception.  O'Donnell gave a fascinating overview on the Maryland regiment  formed of roughly 60 men; a secretive militia in 1774.  These courageous men, made a contract to assemble as a military unit, to obtain arms, uniforms & train for battle knowing these actions were all treasonous & punishable by death by the British.  It is this band of brothers who proved Washington's most reliant & self-sacrificing unit.  These men held the battlelines during  the Battle at Brooklyn enabling troops to retreat to safety.  The Royal Army formed a flank that could have demolished the entire regiment.  Fortuitiously, the British held back & under a heavy fog, Washington's men's fled by boat across the  Gowanus Canal. The Amer Revolution was a bloody & draining war lasting nearly 8 years.  Its outcome was bleak and uncertain.  Many Americans  abandoned the battlefields & other switched alliances, fighting for the British in order to save themselves & then switched back when able to rejoin their own troops. O'Donnell spoke of "the spirit of humanity" shown by the colonialist, "something we can learn from today.  O'Donnell believes the "Battle of Brooklyn" is not duly acknowledged for its immense signifigance because it was a crushing defeat, "and Americans like winners."  Nonetheless, The Battle of of Brooklyn was a decisive historic event that did not undermine the American Revolution.  O'Donnell was on hand to sign his book "Washington's Immortals:  The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution."