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Robert Tonsetic
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Special Operations in the American Revolution Paperback – August 20, 2020

by Robert L Tonsetic (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 252 ratings
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In this book, renowned author, and former U.S. Army Colonel, Robert Tonsetic describes and analyzes numerous examples of special operations conducted during the Revolution.

"What is unique about this book is the perspective. To a modern-day reader, special ops conjure images of highly trained and exotically equipped soldiers leaping out of helicopters and Zodiac boats to wipe out terrorists... In an era when warfare was supposed to be gentlemanly and follow certain rules, did Washington and his contemporaries embrace special operations? The answer would seem to be, ‘Yes.' Even if they didn't use the term 'special ops,' they were willing to employ elite reconnaissance units, spies and partisan bands. Washington didn't have SEAL Team 6. But he made good use of what he had.” —The National Interest

When the American Revolution began, the colonial troops had little hope of matching His Majesty's highly trained, experienced British and German legions in confrontational battle. In this book, renowned author, and former U.S. Army Colonel, Robert Tonsetic describes and analyzes numerous examples of special operations conducted during the Revolution.

Table of Contents

Prologue
1 The Capture Of Fort Ticonderoga
2 The New Providence Raid
3 Knowlton’s Rangers
4 Whitcomb’s Rangers
5 John Paul Jones’ Raids On Britain’s Coast
6 Partisan Warfare In The Northern Theater
7 The Rise Of Partisan Warfare In The Southern Theater
8 The Whaleboat Wars
9 George Rogers Clark’s March To Vincennes
Epilogue
Endnotes
Bibliography
Index
Previous page
  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Casemate
  4. Publication date
    August 20, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1612008933
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1612008936
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

american revolution, revolutionary war, intelligence, espionage

american revolution, revolutionary war, intelligence, espionage

american revolution, revolutionary war, intelligence, espionage

american revolution, revolutionary war, intelligence, espionage Nathanael Greene, revolutionary war, american revolution, thomas sumter, south carolina revolutionary war, french navy, american revolution john andre, Benedict arnold, american revolution, revolutionary war normandy, world war ii, western front
Special Operations in the American Revolution The Quaker and the Gamecock America's First Ally The Life of John André Normandy 1944
Customer Reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
252
4.1 out of 5 stars
24
3.7 out of 5 stars
15
4.5 out of 5 stars
70
4.2 out of 5 stars
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Price $20.37 $10.45 $18.45 $12.56 $7.40
Military ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
U.S. Military ✓ ✓
American Revolution ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Special Operations ✓

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The author is a very good story teller. He brings the events to life through the stories of the participants. The book fills a void in the literature of the American Revolution. Added bonuses are the book's bibliography. It is excellent. The operational maps and photos also compliment the narrative. … It is a must addition to the library of every military historian as well as students of the American revolutionary War. Dr. Tonsetic has crafted an exciting book."
Kepler’s Military History

“…overall a really excellent book. It really screams out as an excellent source for wargames scenarios as well as just a good read about the extraordinary actions of ordinary men during wartime. The book will appeal to those interested in the Revolutionary War and also to those interested in the history of Special Forces operations. So a real winner all round!”
Wargamer

"Tonsetic is a skilled and knowledgeable historian who provides a well crafted important study of a relatively neglected aspect of the Revolutionary War....Highly recommended"
Choice

"...a satisfying combination of the well-known, such as the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, to the relatively obscure, such as the exploits throughout much of the war of Patriot Benjamin Whitcomb and his rangers in the area between Fort Ticonderoga and Montreal."
The Journal of America’s Military Past

"This was an excellent book; it was well-researched, entertaining, and fun to read, and it provided a unique perspective on the methods used to win the War of Independence. The author described in great depth the events preceding the battles, and how these small special operations units were vital to the American cause. This is a great book for the neophyte historian or any casual reader."
City Book Review

"well-written, easy to follow work that does an excellent job telling many small stories of the American Revolution."
Military Heritage

"What is unique about this book is the perspective. To a modern-day reader, special ops conjure images of highly trained and exotically equipped soldiers leaping out of helicopters and Zodiac boats to wipe out terrorists. . . . In an era when warfare was supposed to be gentlemanly and follow certain rules, did Washington and his contemporaries embrace special operations? The answer would seem to be, ‘Yes.' Even if they didn't use the term 'special ops,' they were willing to employ elite reconnaissance units, spies and partisan bands. Washington didn't have SEAL Team 6. But he made good use of what he had.”
The National Interest

"In Special Operations during the American Revolution, Robert Tonsetic instructively showcases militia raids and attacks against the British in the Revolutionary War and makes suggestive comparisons to present-day Special Operations. His engrossing book will appeal strongly to both undergraduates and general readers"
Michigan War Studies Review

"Serving as a wonderful resource for both minor and major skirmishes and operations during the course of the Revolutionary War, the book includes 9 maps and 23 illustrations—with a selection of photos taken from the author’s own camera lens."
The Colonial Review

"Many of the operations Tonsetic touches upon are often overlooked in the literature of the war."
The NYMAS Review

The individual chapters offer very useful introductions to the various raids and operations covered, many of which are minor actions that could make ideal scenarios for small battles or large skirmish wargame. […] Recommended for wargamers already interested in the American Revolution seeking further scenarios for their miniature forces.
Miniature Wargames

About the Author

Robert Tonsetic was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English Literature in 1964. Upon graduation, he entered the US Army as an infantry second lieutenant. After completing Special Forces training in 1966, he served a tour in Thailand with the 46th Special Forces Company. He was subsequently assigned to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam, serving as a rifle company commander during the Tet and May Offensives of 1968. In 1970, he returned to Vietnam as a senior advisor to South Vietnamese Ranger and Airborne battalions. His decorations for his wartime service include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and the Bronze Star for Valor. He retired from the Army at the rank of Colonel in 1991, after completing a three year assignment as a faculty member at the NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy. Upon his return to the US, Robert earned a Doctorate in Education, and was employed at the University of Central Florida as a staff member and adjunct professor. He died in April 2016 in Easton, MD.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Casemate (August 20, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1612008933
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1612008936
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 252 ratings

About the author

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Robert Tonsetic

Robert Tonsetic

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Robert Tonsetic was born and raised in western Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1964, he entered the Army as an infantry lieutenant. After completing Special Forces training, he deployed to Thailand as an advisor to Royal Thai Army Special Forces. During the Vietnam War, he served as a light infantry company commander & as an advisor to Vietnamese Ranger & Airborne units. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star for extraordinary heroism during the 1968 Tet & May Offensives. In 1970, he returned to Vietnam, and served as a senior advisor to South Vietnamese Ranger and Airborne battalions earning the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and the U.S. Bronze Star for Valor. He retired from the Army at the rank of Colonel after a 27 years of service as an infantry and Special Forces officer. After completing his Doctorate in 1996, he taught at the graduate level at the University of Central Florida. In 2014, Colonel Tonsetic was inducted into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame. He currently resides on Maryland's eastern shore where he continues to write.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
252 global ratings
Is not "Good" condition
1 Star
Is not "Good" condition
Ordered from "books_from_california". Do not order from them. It was listed as "Good", but has a split spine, water damage, and pages are compressed upward from the bottom. This should have been listed as heavily damaged and given a major discount.
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Top reviews from the United States

John A McIntyre
5.0 out of 5 stars Well done
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2013
Verified Purchase
It is nice to see a book on the American Revolution that flows well. Tonsetic picks out great examples of what would be called Special Ops today. I finished the book having a well-painted picture of the events, leaders and soldiers that helped secure American independence from Great Britain. I am an avid student of history and this book did not disappoint.
I visited Ticonderoga, Crown Point and Lake Champlain recently (and live only miles from the Saratoga Battlefield in New York) and this book really gave life to many of the leaders of the Patriot cause. They were well sourced and researched.
All that said... The best feature of this book is that it is easy to read and avoids the over dense citations that become a major pitfall of many historical texts. I did not find myself falling asleep in the middle of a chapter, but would stop when I hit the end of it. Since I read mostly at night, that is the sign of an engaging work.
I did finish the book looking for more, which was a good sign.
If you liked the movie The Patriot, he tells the back story of Francis Marion and southern campaign of the Revolution (the movie was not exactly historically accurate, but some of the characters are based on real people). It is a good historical backdrop for all the Hollywood drama.
He also gives us insight into the struggle between the American Colonists who supported independence and those who wanted to remain part of Great Britain. This is so overlooked in many history books. Colonists were fighting neighbors, not just the British.
Overall a very good book. I am glad I waited for the order to be filled.
21 people found this helpful
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Gert
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history!
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2016
Verified Purchase
Tonsetic's military background does show and while he is truly an excellent story-teller, his sometimes over-wrought detail of current Joint Pubs is a bit much. And coming from an old staff weenie, that is saying something. Other than that, the level of detail is just enough to provide a vivid picture - what we want from a story teller. He introduces us to players and events that are often overlooked in so many histories, yet provide a much needed understanding of the of the overall American (rebel) campaign, and the fact that even today special forces are indeed "special."

Tonsetic does deserve a better publisher/editor, however. While the writing is excellent, some of the obvious typos look a lot like some of my drafts - missed punctuation, missing capitalization, etc. Once or twice it is not an issue, but in some sections it was almost a distraction (I'm a staff weenie ...). Perhaps those issues are unique to the Kindle version I read, though I doubt it. That is my rationale for 4 vice 5 stars.
10 people found this helpful
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AvdRedr
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read, providing details on the Revoluntionary War history I was not familiar with.
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2020
Verified Purchase
The book covers 9 different actions during the Revolutionary War as representative of the development of the Special Operations Forces we see in today’s military. From the capture of Fort Ticonderoga to the exploits of John Paul Jones he highlights actions that occurred that I had not been familiar with in spite of my previous readings from this period. The author points out the much larger implications and affect that the actions of small groups of well organized, high trained and motivated troops had on the war. And that they were able to carry out their missions that were of relatively short duration and frequently under adverse conditions. The element of surprise was of paramount importance. The book lacks the personal connections with many of these events and usually summarizes the effects of these battles in the dry statistics killed, wounded, or taken prisoner for both sides. That said, I found the book infinitely interesting at it addressed details about each of these events that I was not familiar with. A good read.
3 people found this helpful
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Marvin K. Collison
5.0 out of 5 stars "Special Operations" adds a new angle to interpretation of military efforts in the American Revolution
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2015
Verified Purchase
"Special Operations in the American Revolution" goes beyond the list of guerrilla campaigns that are usually considered special operations in the Revolutionary War, such as sharpshooters and Southern partisans like Frances Marion, and includes a much broader range of efforts on the order John Paul Jones' raids on English ports, the capture of Nassau in the Bahamas, the Battle of Kings Mountain and the "whaleboat war" around New York. Yet all fit the now-classic definition of special operations and have the same impact of modern efforts where small forces do more damage and cause far more disruption than expected from relatively minor forces. The book shows such attacks, like modern-day ones, had serious impacts on the course of the war. George Rogers Clark's capture of Vincennes and "Hair Buyer" Hamilton is an example of this, where American claims on the Old Northwest were strengthened to the point the British ceded it to the young American republic in the final peace treaty in 1783.
2 people found this helpful
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therover
3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting account of Special Operations
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
The information in this account of Special Operations during the Revolutionary War is quite interesting. The references mentioned here are just a quick look into how to fight an unconventional war. It shows how we work in close association with all aspects of military units.
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Richard Barnhill
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2019
Verified Purchase
This book has quite a bit more detail than you will get in most books related to the specifics of certain actions during the Revolutionary War, for example the fort take overs on the Great Lakes and local actions in and around New York to name a few. I plan to use what I learned to find even more content related to this and other actions described in the book, to include the extra details provided around what happened to Nathan Hale.
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Mike Randolph
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughts
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2022
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If you like history you will love this book. I took American History in high school and there are details covered in this book that I did not know. There are detailed accounts of battles and troop movements. A veritable whose who of the revolutionary war.
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C. Barnett
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2022
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Two or Three of these Ops would be worthy of Bill McRaven’s Book - Fills in important parts of our Revolution - Some of the stories were familiar and some completely new- I suspect the War of 1812 deserves a similar Book
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Top reviews from other countries

William in Sussex
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 5, 2017
Verified Purchase
A superb account of some of the actions of the American side during the Revolutionary War that would nowadays be classed as special operations. Some of these, such as John Paul Jones' raid on Whitehaven, or the irregular warfare of Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion in Carolina, I was already aware of. Others like George Rogers Clark's retaking of Vincennes, or William Barton's capture of Major General Richard Prescott were new to me. The author's writing is very readable, making clear the bravery of the men involved in these operations, without ever lapsing into a "boy's own adventure" style. There is plenty of detail and at the end of each chapter Colonel Tonsetic brings his own military experience to bear with a brief assessment of the operations in modern terms. There are also notes and a bibliography.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the American Revolutionary War (AKA The American War of Independance) or the history of special operations. The book should be of particular interest to wargamers, many of the operations described would lend themselves to scenarios for skirmish or regimental level rules. I have already added the author's other book on the AWI to my wishlist.
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