Award-winning singer/songwriter Barry Cloyd portrays Joseph Henry Monroe, one of the only drummer boys who actually survived the Civil War. Monroe was the first one to enlist in the war from his small town in Iowa (he was 12 years old) and went on to fight in more than 27 major battles including Shiloh, Corinth, Sherman's “March to the Sea” and others. As there were more than 2,000 songs written about the war during that period, the arc of the war is presented through the music, most of it penned by the soldiers themselves.

Barry has performed this piece many times at a variety of venues including many libraries, several Chatauquas, and The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield. Also included are two original songs that tell the story of The Drummer Boy as a set up to the rest of the story.

This event is free and open to all. No registration is required.

For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.