Harlingen, Texas

It is a sunny December down here in South Texas. I visited the Harlingen Public Library on Saturday, December 20 to give a demonstration to three classes of youngsters at a Christmas event hosted by the library. I was able to share about the drummer boy's life and what a soldier might experience during a Civil War Christmas. I was also able to play "Joy to the World" on my fife, a song we accept as a Christmas carol today, but was originally written about the Second Coming of Christ.

There was no age limit for Civil War drummers. Here I am trying to find recruits.

Also, I showed the kids how to load a musket.

It gets pretty hot in South Texas for Santa impersonators. This one was pretty anxious to shave.

My thanks goes out to Josie Balboa (far left) and the other librarians in Harlingen who made this event possible.

Poplar Bluff, Missouri

Last Friday, December 5, my family and I traveled to Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Our first stop was at Hasting's Books (above) where we met up with Jamie Billings and her mom. Here, we spoke about the Civil War, and I signed some books. We also had the pleasure of meeting another author who was having a book signing there. Then, we stopped by Eugene Fields Elementary and spoke to the kids about the war. Jamie did an excellent job sharing about the women's role during the war, and the kids all seemed to have a good time. The kids really enjoyed seeing Jamie's hoop-skirt, that she made herself, and hearing the fife and drum.

Here we are in the gymnasium at Eugene Fields.

Jamie talking to the students . . .

. . . and me.

I want to thank the school principal, Jan Arnold, for setting up this event. Also, my appreciation goes to all the teachers, especially the PE teacher who leant us her class time.

It has been very hectic since August, so I have not posted since then. I am taking courses from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock this semester, and have been focusing on my week to week structure. However, my classes are online, which means I have a lot of flexibility and can still travel and speak. I have done several events lately, but unfortunately did not get many pictures.

On October 9, the Greene County Historical and Genealogical Society had me speak before their meeting. I enjoyed the evening immensely. Thank you Kaye Holmes and everyone at the Historical Society for your kindness.

On October 18, I did a rather informal presentation, and played the fife and drum, at a Music Festival on the square in downtown Pocahontas, my hometown. It was very relaxing to take my nose out of the books that afternoon! Thanks to all of the the librarians in Pocahontas who invited and hosted me.

I am standing on the sidewalk of the Randolph County Library in historic downtown Pocahontas. Below, a young boy is trying his hand at the drum.

On October 21, the Shaver Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans had me speak before their monthly meeting. It is always a pleasure to meet with this good group of Southern gentlemen. My thanks goes to Danny Honnoll and Ray Jones for their true Southern hospitality!

On November 7, I traveled to Riverdale Public School in Germantown and spoke for their "I Love America" celebration. The kids did an excellent job singing and performing in this celebration, and it was great to see so many people coming out to honor Veterans Day. After the speeches, etc., the students gathered in front of the school for a picnic, and I was honored to play several tunes on my fife and drum. Also, the kids had a great time trying their hand at the drum, and many of them were quite good! My appreciation is extended to all of the staff at Riverdale, especially Debbie McCoy for asking me to come. I hope to soon have some pictures posted for this event.

My brother and I stand outside the window at the Randolph County Library.

It has been a busy couple of weeks. On Friday, the 15th, I joined with author Christine Lynxwiler in a book signing at The Bread of Life Bookstore in Melbourne. It was a pleasure to finally meet Christine and talk with her about her publishing experiences. (Unfortunately, I did not get any photos of that event). I would like to thank all those at the bookstore, especially the owner, Phyllis Cowan, for their hard-work.

On the 2nd, I was at my hometown Randolph County Library in Pocahontas, which has almost become my home away from home in downtown Pocahontas. It was great to be there with all of our outstanding librarians. Thanks to Jackie Salyards, Diane Evans, Phyllis Davis, and all of the wonderful ladies at the library, who helped organize this signing, and whose effort has made our library very special.

(Below is pictured one of our unique sites at the library: a soldier blaring away on a fife.)

We had a great time at the Bartlett Senior Citizens Center Wednesday, July 23. It was a real treat to share with the audience about the drummer boy and our War for Southern Indpendence. Rick Cohen (below), who had joined me at the Germantown Genealogy Center earlier this year, spoke about the life of a soldier during the war.

My thanks goes to Tina Sansone, the Southeast Director of the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors, and Holly Eggenberger (below), the Activities Coordinator of the Senior Citizens Center, for their hard work organizing and hosting this event.

I look forward to seeing you all on August 2 (10 am - 11:30 am), at my hometown library in Pocahontas. Hope you can make it. Punch and cookies will be available, so stop by hungry!

Lookout Mountain

Above: A view from Lookout Mountain into Chattanooga.


Over the weekend of July 4, we traveled to the Chattanooga area and visited Lookout Mountain. Here are a few pictures from what we saw.

Chris Davidson, a living history interpreter, was dressed in his butternut uniform and told us about the battle of Lookout Mountain.

Ranger Anton Heinlein took us on a tour of the battlesite and described what took place during the Battle of Lookout Mountain and siege of Chattanooga.

This rock is where Generals Bragg and Longstreet stood to overlook the valley in preparation of their strategy.

Part of the battle was fought near Cravens House, which was at different times a headquarters to both a Confederate and Union general.


The dining room at Cravens House appears to be ready for guests.

CHEF Conference

Tuesday and Wednesday I was in St. Louis for the 24th Annual Homeschool CHEF Conference. It was very enjoyable meeting with old and new friends. Above is a picture of Micah Stull playing the drum with me on the fife. Micah is an excellent drummer, and we had a blast entertaining the conference goers with historical tunes. I included a sound byte of our playing.

Our good friends, the Billings, spoke at the conference on ordinary parents raising extraordinary children and again on grieving, which they know about all too well after losing their son, Michael in November. We grew up with Mikey since we were about four years old. Jamie helped proof read The Orphan and the Beaten Drum for several months over the turn of the year and the Billings have been extremely supportive of this endeavor. At the conference, they let me use their table to sell my books, and introduced me after their talk.

The Orphan and the Beaten Drum just arrived in the mail on Wednesday morning for the conference after a stressful few days of tracking the package from Hodgkins, IL, past Pocahontas to Little Rock, and back up again. It's exciting to finally offer it to the public after many years of hard work. Find out more at http://www.southerncadencepress.com/ under Current Books.

I must not end this post without saying thank you to the Bickel family who was very generous in adopting me into their family for a couple days and allowing me to spend the night with them at the hotel there. Also, I want to thank the two boys, Micah Stull and Noah Coad (below in white shirt), who were a big help with promoting my book at the conference, and the many others who showed me many kindnessess also have my endearing gratitude.

Below is a sound byte of Micah and I playing the old Revolutionary tune, Chester.

Words and After Words

If you run out of books . . . just sign the table!



Actually, it's a tradition. This table was signed by other authors who held signings here. Among them were Christine Lynxwiler and Steve Whistnant who are authors local to Arkansas. Words and After Words is an awesome environment to experience. Not only is it nestled just off the quaint Main Street of Hardy, Arkansas, but it is a place where things are happening. You can nestle down and read a book, or head to the back to enjoy a meal or cold frappucino. Often, you can catch a band playing in the corner of the cafe.

My thanks goes to Greg Bess (left), Clayton Orr (right), and all of them at Words who made me feel welcome and simply at home.

Parker's Crossroads and Brownsville

Parker's Crossroads was a blast last weekend, despite the sweltering heat. My friend Alex and I drove over on Saturday morning and stayed till Sunday afternoon. During the daytime, our tent was like a greenhouse, but in the evening it turned very cold. It was only a small taste of the hardships our ancestors had to endure.

We took part in three battles Saturday and one on Sunday. I was also able to share about the drummer boy's life and sign some books. Unfortunately, we did not take any pictures at Parker's. However, the Lexington Progress caught me on the fife. View it here: Lexington Progress.

On Sunday evening, we stayed with my grandmother in Arlington then hit the trail again to Brownsville, Tennessee where I demonstrated the drummer boy's life at the Elma Ross Public Library (pictured below). Alex did a great job sharing how to load the musket and cap and ball pistol. Thank you to all the librarians who did an excellent job at organizing this event.






Pictured below is Alex, me, Katherine Horn of the library, and two young history enthusiasts.

In Brownsville we stopped by the monument to the Confederate dead, located in front of the courthouse. In our uniforms, we paused by the monument to play a few songs on the fife and honor our soldiers.

This is my grandmother and me when we stayed at her home.

Video for The Orphan and the Beaten Drum

The following video is an introduction to my new book, The Orphan and the Beaten Drum. Although it is not yet in print, you can reserve a copy. To find out how, e-mail bryce@southerncadencepress.com.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008


On Friday, Mom and I traveled to Little Rock to the University of Arkansas. I am planning on pursuing an online Liberal Arts degree from UALR with emphasis in Technical Writing, History, and Criminal Justice. My advisor was very informative and helpful in making me feel comfortable with the classes. Over the weekend, we had company from Springdale, Arkansas. Jim Holt, whom my older brother helped run for Lieutenant Governor, came with his family for a visit. We had not seen them for a while and had an enjoyable time catching up. Presently, I'm working with the printers on getting my second book in print. I hope to have it available by the CHEF conference in St. Louis, MO, as some friends have invited me to sell my book at their table. Maybe I'll see you there. . . .

East Tennessee

Over Memorial Day Weekend, my family traveled to the Chattanoga area. We visited a church in the area and fellowshipped with like-minded believers. We were also able to visit some battlefields on our trek through the State. Tennessee, I have seen, has national battlefields coming out her ears! We went by Parker's Crossroads, Stones River, and Chickamauga. I hope to visit Parker's Crossroads during the second weekend in June and have a book signing. They are having a living history demo that weekend. The picture above was taken on a tower-like memorial at the Chickamauga battlefield. In this area, Longstreet's attacking troops could not be repulsed, even though the Yankees were cutting them down with 7-shot Spencer repeaters.

Pictured above are some of the students I spoke to at Veritas Christian School in Germantown, Tennessee. Here on Monday, May 12, I gave the presentation on the drummer boy, and also my "If My People" speech on the similarities of the War Between the States and the Revolutionary War. To read this essay/speech, click here. It was a blast to see the kids so interested in the histroy that, around our house, we usually take for granted.

On Thursday, I visited the Somerville campus of Veritas Christian Schools. Some kids dressed up on both campuses as part of a "History Mystery" class. Pictured above is a young impersonator of George Washington.

The "Assembly" is the drum call that let soldiers know they were to form ranks.

For the kids, I demonstrated how to load a musket like they did during the war.

At Teacher 2 Teacher Bookstore in Batesville, Arkansas (May 10), I gave a presentation on the drummer boy. My thanks goes to Tammy Cox for hosting the event.

On Sunday (April 27), I spoke at Hasting's Bookstore in Cordova. My appreciation goes out to Michelle Hocker who was very thoughtful and professional; she is doing a great job with this new book store. Sitting is my grandfather, Robert Chandler, who is the genealogy master-mind of the family and has traced our roots back to B.C.

Saturday, April 26---I became a drummer boy at the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center in a performance that the kids and adults seemed to enjoy immensely. I demonstrated the life of a drummer boy, then told how Stonewall and many other soldiers could defy death on the battlefield. General Jackson said, "God has affixed the time for my death and I do not concern myself about that---but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me." The soldier on the left, Rick Cohen, a member of the Tennessee Genealogical Society, also gave a talk about the soldier's life during the war.

Me as the drummer boy.

Jennifer Baker was very hospitable at the Germantown Regional History and
Genealogy Center.



Also on Saturday, I visited Just Kidz Books in Bartlett. Phillip and Lori Mashburn went over and above in making me feel at home here. Thank you so much for your generosity and hospitality! Lori is pictured in the blue shirt.

At Hasting's Book Store in Poplar Bluff, MO, Saturday, April 12, I gave a talk on Stonewall Jackson and the war. I also played a couple tunes on my fife and drum, as well as signed books.

I signed the author's chair, signed by John Grisham and others, at That Bookstore in Blytheville (April 5). The bookstore has a unique history, and was one of Grisham's old stomping grounds. Thank you Norma Bell, Rebecca Smith, and everyone at the store for your hard-work with the book signing.

I would like to thank Phyllis Cowan, owner of the Bread of Life Bookstore in Melbourne, for her hard-work organizing a book signing on her Customer Appreciation Day (April 4). Thanks also to Bob Connell, the radio man with KFFB Fairfield Bay, for the interview.

Photos from Brownsville

Monday, April 7

We are back in Pocahontas after an eventful 1,000 mile drive from Brownsville. View the pictures of our trip.

U.S.-Mexican War re-enactors touch off a cannon at Palo Alto National Battlefield in South Texas.

A re-enactor of a Mexican soldado shows spectators his weapon.



Many of our heroes of the War for Southern Independence had their start in the U.S.-Mexican War and were likely influenced by their tour. For example, why did Stonewall eat lemons and call his wife, "esposita"?


Hands were extended across the border at the International Charro Days Parade in Brownsville, the only international parade in the U.S. Charro is a Mexican word for cowboy.


Spectators watch a vaquero performing rope tricks.


A young Mexican cowboy waves to the crowd during the Charro Days Parade.





A building sports the "Running W" brand at the King Ranch, an over 800,000 acre ranch based in Kingsville, Texas.





Our next-door neighbor in Brownsville was Jian Golder, a Chinese journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Green Light Press. She asked to do an article about our homeschooling and my book. She holds a copy-in-progress of The Orphan and the Beaten Drum.