Your Loving Sons: American Warfare through the Eyes of New England Soldiers
Your Loving Sons: American Warfare through the Eyes of New England Soldiers was an attempt to give voice to the sometimes unseen and unheard soldiers of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II. Studies of these wars all too often focus on the famous generals, the epic battles, and the devout patriotism that we, as Americans, associate with battle. In focusing on the personal correspondence of American soldiers, I sought to show that although these men and women are often portrayed as nameless numbers and statistics, they had lives outside of the armed forces. They were husbands, fathers, and sons with families that ached for their return from the horrors of war.
Faced with harsh realization of their own mortality, these soldiers were compelled to express their innermost thoughts and feelings to loved ones at home. An intense look into their letters is a tribute to their service for our country, and honors the seemingly ordinary men and women who in the hardest days of their young lives accomplished extraordinary feats. This project was designed, in part, to be an appreciation of the actions of the soldiers in defense of their country, their freedoms, and the American tradition, as well as an admiration for the lost art of letter writing, in hopes that these words and actions will live forever.
---David Palange
David published a commentary about his research in the 2007 issue of?Inquiry, UNH's online research journal, and received tremendous response from the media. Articles about David's research were featured in the Boston Globe, Eagle-Tribune, and Union Leader newspapers.
