Episode Details

Patrick K. O'Donnell details the exploits of Richard Blazer, the brilliant leader of the Blazer Scouts, the Union's first modern hunter-killer team. Operating in the rugged terrain of West Virginia, Blazer utilized detective work and lightning raids to hunt Confederate partisans. His primary adversaries were the Thurman brothers, ruthless "bushwhackers" who targeted Union supply lines and often executed prisoners. Under General Averell, Blazer's team integrated tradecraft from the Jesse Scouts to protect vital B&O railroad lines and conduct crucial battlefield reconnaissance to support Union Army raids against Confederate logistics. (2)
1865