The American Revolution is often celebrated through stories of patriotism and independence, but former U.S. Naval officer Ray Deptula takes a different approach in his latest historical novel, Can’t Find My Way Home. Rather than focusing on famous generals or political leaders, the book examines the war through the experiences of ordinary people struggling to survive one of the nation’s most turbulent periods.
Published by Speaking Volumes, Can’t Find My Way Home is the second installment in Deptula’s Those Damned Yankees series. Drawing from extensive historical research, the novel recreates key Revolutionary War events while exploring themes of loyalty, friendship, political division and moral responsibility that continue to resonate today.
Deptula, who served as a U.S. Naval officer, says history often repeats itself because human nature remains remarkably consistent.
“If history has taught us anything, it is that times may change, but human nature does not,” Deptula said. “The competing interests and political tensions of the formation of our country were no more or less dysfunctional than they are today, with the best and worst of individual behavior continually on display.”
The novel follows Jack Halliday, a British soldier who deserts the army after killing his abusive commanding officer in self-defense. Seeking a new life, Jack joins the Continental Army and forms an unlikely bond with Custis, an enslaved man who accompanies him through the brutal winter encampment of 1780-81 before both are thrust into the devastating Battle of Camden.
As the Continental Army suffers crushing losses, Jack and Custis find themselves stranded in the dangerous American South, where shifting allegiances, violence and the institution of slavery force both men to confront difficult moral choices. Their relationship becomes the emotional center of the novel as Jack struggles to protect his friend in a society that views Custis as property rather than a person.
Deptula’s military background also informs the novel’s portrayal of warfare. He draws parallels between the British campaign during the American Revolution and more recent military conflicts involving global powers.
“Ironically, the British experience in the American Revolution was strikingly similar to our own in Vietnam and even more recently in Afghanistan,” Deptula said, noting that military objectives and political realities are often misaligned during wartime.
Released June 30, Can’t Find My Way Home combines meticulous historical detail with fast-paced storytelling to offer readers a fresh perspective on America’s founding. By focusing on the human cost of war instead of battlefield victories alone, Deptula invites readers to reflect on how political conflict, personal sacrifice and questions of morality continue to shape society nearly 250 years after the Revolutionary War.