Saluting"Drums" by James Boyd

Save the dates: June 14-15, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

I had heard of Drums, one of the few Revolutionary War stories set in the South, but decided to savor the reading of it until I visited the home of its author, James Boyd. Boyd's house in Southern Pines, N.C., has been converted into the Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities, which among other wonderful things, hosts writers in residence. I have been fortunate enough to be one of those writers several times now, and the experience of reading a few chapters of Drums while sitting in Boyd's library and looking at the ship model he used for reference for his writing was exhilarating.

Drums turns 100 this year, and if you haven't read it yet, you should. Parts of it will be problematic for modern readers, of course, but for anyone interested in the chaotic early days of the republic, Boyd's insights are invaluable. Drums reminds us that the war for independence was as much a civil war as it was a revolution and that the South and Southerners played a key role in the struggle. (These are also important themes that I am exploring in my work-in-progress, Flintlocks at Dawn.) He highlights the often-overlooked importance of naval battles against the most formidable sea force of its time. It's also just a rollicking good adventure.

The Weymouth Center will also salute Drums with its Drums of Liberty: Revolutionary War Weekend, June 14-15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. The event includes live reenactments, musket and cooking demonstrations, 18th-century music by Camp Flintlock, local vendors, crafts for kids, and a chance to try your hand at block printing and writing with quill and ink. And it's all free and open to the public.