In this episode of Dead Warrior Society, we dive deep into the origins of Unconventional Warfare (UW) through the lens of one of America’s earliest masters of chaos—Francis Marion, the legendary Swamp Fox.
Before there was doctrine, there was instinct—and Marion’s instinct was insurgency. We break down how his campaigns during the Revolutionary War, especially the raids at Black Mingo and Tearcoat Swamp, reveal timeless principles of guerrilla warfare that still echo in modern U.S. Army UW doctrine.

From maintaining local support and living off the land, to targeting vulnerable Tory militias for resupply, Marion’s small, agile bands of fighters waged a campaign that bogged down Cornwallis in the Carolina low country and reshaped how wars could be fought.
Join us as we explore how Francis Marion embodied the insurgent leader’s mindset—disrupting a superior enemy, inspiring resistance, and proving that chaos, when mastered, can be a weapon.

In this episode, we uncover the daring exploits of Francis Marion, the legendary “Swamp Fox” of the American Revolution. Known for his mastery of guerrilla warfare in the swamps of South Carolina, Marion led a small, determined band of Patriots who struck fear into the British with swift, unexpected attacks.

Our story centers on the Raid at Sumter's Plantation, where Marion and his men launched a surprise assault on an abandoned plantation house being used by the British as a holding site for captured Continental soldiers. Against the odds, Marion’s guerrillas stormed the estate, overwhelming the guards and freeing nearly 150 American prisoners in a bold act of defiance.

Join us as we explore how Marion’s tactics, leadership, and deep knowledge of the Carolina backcountry helped shape the course of the Revolution—and turned the Swamp Fox into one of America’s first masters of unconventional warfare.

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In this episode of the Dead Warrior Society Podcast, we dive deep into the life, legend, and legacy of Francis Marion, better known as the "Swamp Fox." Far more than just a cunning guerrilla fighter, Marion's story is one of faith, conviction, and transformation through conflict.

We begin with his early life in the backcountry of South Carolina, examining the religious and moral foundations that shaped his worldview. From his formative experience as a young lieutenant in the brutal Cherokee War, Marion was forged in the crucible of frontier warfare. We explore his lesser-known training and combat experience alongside Robert Rogers’ Rangers, a school of irregular warfare that would prove vital in his later success.
But Marion’s war wasn’t just against the British—it was a brutal and complex civil war within the colonies themselves. We dig into the cultural and political milieu of South Carolina, where neighbors became enemies in the savage struggle between Whigs and Tories.

We also spotlight his role in the defense of Sullivan’s Island, one of the key early victories of the American Revolution, and the lessons learned there in defying the might of the British Empire with limited resources and unconventional tactics.

In this episode, we dive deep into Seth Harp’s new exposé on what he calls the “Fort Bragg Cartel.”

The book offers a sweeping, revisionist take on American history and the U.S. military’s involvement in the Middle East, with a particular focus on JSOC’s operations both at home and abroad. Harp paints a damning picture of systemic immorality among American GIs, using the murder of Will Lavgin, Leshikar, and Dumas as a narrative Trojan Horse to advance his central thesis: that the United States and its military are equally culpable in a broader cycle of violence and dysfunction.

In the process, he concocts a sweeping conspiracy theory involving the U.S. government, the CIA, and JSOC—alleging their complicity in a secret drug trafficking pipeline from Afghanistan to the United States.

After King Alfonso VI is defeated by the Almoravids, he pardons El Cid in hopes of forming new alliances. But within a year, Rodrigo is exiled once again—estranged from his king and cast back into the wilderness.

Refusing to serve another Christian or Muslim lord, El Cid chooses a new path: to serve only himself. He wages war on all sides—against Alfonso VI, local Christian rulers, and the invading Almoravid forces from North Africa.

Meanwhile, Yusuf ibn Tashfin, Emir of the Almoravids, launches a second invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. This time, he targets not only the Christians but also native Muslim rulers, accusing them of apostasy and alliances with Christian kings.

Despite numerous setbacks, El Cid secures control of Valencia. As the Almoravid army advances to reclaim the city and capture him, El Cid prepares for the ultimate showdown.

In this explosive episode, we dive into the legendary tale of El Cid, the exiled Castilian knight whose sword may be sidelined, but whose legacy is anything but forgotten. While El Cid is holding the northeastern flank in Zaragoza, Alfonso VI takes center stage, leading a brilliant and strategic expansion of Christian borders — including the historic conquest of Toledo. But the Reconquista is far from one-sided.

Alarmed by Christian advances, the Taifa King of Seville and key Islamic religious leaders in Cordoba call upon Yusuf ibn Tashfin and his battle-hardened and religious dogmatic Almoravid army in North Africa. Their mission? To reclaim Al-Andalus and remove the Christian yoke once and for all.
The tension explodes in one of the most epic pitch battles of the Reconquista: the clash at Sagrajas in the region of Badajoz, where Alfonso VI rallies a massive Christian coalition to face the Islamic invaders head-on.

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In this episode of the DWS podcast, we go back and examine not only El Cid’s early military career in more detail but also analyze and unpack the politically fraught situation that would inevitably led to Civil War between the Castilian royal family. El Cid is a vassal, friend, and battlefield comrade to King Sancho, the eldest brother. Because of his natural and deadly talent, Rodrigo Diaz earns the name “Campeador” and nearly everyone across the Iberian has heard of his military exploits and moreover when the enemy sees or hears that he is present on the battlefield they very often take flight.
Just as the war was ending, King Sancho is assassinated, and El Cid eventually finds himself adrift in foreign lands working as a sword-for-hire. He has only one choice: in order to survive he must fight.

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Welcome back to The Dead Warrior Society, the podcast where history’s fiercest fighters live again. In this episode, we dive into the early life and legendary exploits of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar—better known as El Cid. From his rise through the ranks of Castilian nobility to his battlefield brilliance and uneasy alliances with both Christian and Muslim rulers, El Cid's story is as complex as it is iconic.

But this isn't just a tale of swords and sieges. Throughout the episode, we explore the broader world of the Reconquista: who actually fought in it, what weapons and tactics were used, and how power was structured in medieval Iberia. We examine the layers of feudal obligation, beginning with the king himself and working down through his royal entourage, noble vassals, and military retainers, highlighting how governance, loyalty, and warfare were all deeply intertwined.