Operation Invisible: A Tall Tail of the American Revolution

By Michael Brown

Have you ever heard of Washington’s Vision? Did you know the story tellers had it all Wrong?
Have you ever asked the question, what would happen if a modern Ranger met one of their forefathers? I did, but how do the two meet?
Use some science fiction and the War on Terror to make the hook up. Now that they are together, what do they have in common? But, wait, you just don’t throw a modern soldier into the 18th century. Life is very different in the 18th century and a good ranger should to be prepared. The good Ranger must have the proper equipment, background cover, vaccinations and understand how to act without drawing undue attention.
Do you remember your history class about the American Revolution or did you spend your time in class taking pot shots at the co-eds? Come on, you heard something about Brooklyn, White Plains, Trenton, Saratoga, Valley Forge and Yorktown. Remember Saratoga, where Daniel Morgan’s sharpshooters or tomahawks bushwhacked Burgoyne's Indians and then double tapped British General Simon Fraser and Frances Clarke. Morgan’s Rangers were satisfied with that achievement, no way. The Old Wagoner just had to tear Banastre Tarlton a new one at Hannah’s Cowpens.
Pick up a book on American military history and read on. Go to World War II, where, rather than use the South African term of commando, the U. S. Army chose to use Ranger for those soldiers trained in superior military talent. Read about Pointe du Hoc and Cabanatuan. They are still around you know. They train and follow in a tradition that goes back to Major Robert Rogers. Hell, when James Fenimore Cooper created the character of Natty Bumppo he had the U. S. Army Rangers in mind. You do remember Natty, Uncas and Chingachgook, under fire and skulking through enemy lines, don’t you? You might say, Mr. Cooper created the legend, before the U. S. Army created their rough cut paladins.
Now, ponder over how much hell and mayhem can a modern ranger could make in the American Revolution? Turn loose your imagination, bur first forget about automatic weapons, night vision goggles and modern land navigation tools. However, your ranger might have a Pennsylvania long rifle, like Morgan’s Rangers had. Your ranger will have something better than a fighting knife - a tomahawk.
Philadelphia, when was the first time you turned out for a city wide celebration? It wasn’t winning a World Series or the bicentennial. It was the going away party for General Billy Howe. Good by and good riddens, general.
Baltimore, do you think the name Poe is only associated with booze, literature and football? Did you know the Poes of your fare city raised money and made clothes for the revolution. At seventy-one, one of them saw the birth of the Star Spangled Banner from the defensive earthworks around your fare city.
Virginia, I’ll bet you think Robert E. Lee taught you how to resist a foreign invader and fight a war. Wrong! It was a crusty old Prussian general, who introduced you Virginians to some serious warfigthing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Brown
• Release date: Mar 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301134274

Michael Brown

Michael Brown is Professor of Scottish History at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of a number of books including Disunited Kingdoms: Peoples and Politics in the British Isles 1280–1460 and Bannockburn: The Scottish War and the British Isles,1307–1323. His research interests are political society of Scotland c.1250–c.1500. He has published studies of the practice and ideology of royal and aristocratic lordship in Scotland

Book preview

�@'�cbook_preview_excerpt.html