Pennsylvania Cable Network covers Gettysburg presentation by Mowday and Briggs
July 23 event includes items from J. Howard Wert collection
July 18, 2022
WEST CHESTER _ Pennsylvania Cable Network has indicated the network will record the presentation of Chester County authors Charlene L. Briggs and Bruce E. Mowday on Gettysburg and the Legacy of War: A Perpetual Assault.
The presentation will be given at the George Spangler Farm and Field Hospital, 488 Blacksmith Shop Road, Gettysburg, on Saturday, July 23 at 1:00 p.m. The Spangler property is part of the Gettysburg Foundation. The program is free and open to the public.
Joining Briggs and Mowday will be Craig Caba, curator of the J. Howard Wert Gettysburg Collection. Caba will display medical artifacts from the battle of Gettysburg. The Wert collection is the largest private collection of Gettysburg artifacts.
“Soldiers, their families, friends and society have suffered from the effects of war since the first battle was fought centuries ago,” Mowday said. “We thank the Gettysburg Foundation for giving us this opportunity to talk about this important subject, PTSD. PTSD continues to be a serious issue today.”
Briggs authored Letters to Lida, with her father, S/Sgt David J. Lemal. The memoir is about S/Sgt Lemal’s experiences in World War II and includes 150 letters he wrote to his mother throughout the war. Mowday has authored a number of history books, including three on Gettysburg and two on the American Revolution.
“When my father and I went on book tour, the flood gates opened.” Briggs said. “So many veterans and their family members shared stories with us about how the war affected them and their family.” There is a silent side to conflict, Briggs discovered, that lives on in soldiers long after the war is over and often directly impacts their family.
“Charlene and I both strongly believe the legacy of war should receive more attention,” Mowday said. “War inflicts lasting, severe physical, mental and emotional scars on veterans, their families, their friends and society.
The program includes personal stories and historical references on the extent of war’s influence and information on resources and programs on healing for survivors. To schedule a talk, or for more information, contact author Bruce Mowday at mowday@mowday.com.
Briggs, Caba and Mowday will be the venue before and after the talk to discuss the program, the artifacts and the authors’ books.
New in 2024!
Lafayette Bicentennial Celebration
The bicentennial celebration of Lafayette's 12-month tour as America's Guest begins in August 2024. Author Bruce E. Mowday is giving a number of talks on his books Lafayette at Brandywine: The Making of an American Hero and Lafayette: America’s Young Hero and Guest. Contact Bruce at mowday@mowday.com to schedule one of his presentations.