Civil War Signal Corps Reenactors and Living Historians in California

The Civil War Signal Corps detachment of the California Historical Artillery Society (CHAS) (www.geocities.com/mountedarty) portrays a Union signal party in the Army of the Potomac, circa 1863, during living history and Civil War reenactments throughout central California. We also belong to the National Civil War Association (NCWA) (http://www.ncwa.org/), where the signal detachment is attached to the Union brigade staff. Our equipment (signal flags, field glasses, telescopes, compass, code books, manuals, etc.) is a mix of authentic reproductions and period pieces, and we strive to be as historically accurate as possible in our impression.

What We Do with the Civil War Signal Corps:

During reenactments, we perform traditional signal duties of observation and communication, as well as relaying instructions to the unit commanders. This year our goal is to field two functioning signal teams (an observer and a flagman) during reenactment battles. During public hours at events we regularly conduct signal practice sessions and living history demonstrations. During our first campaign season last year, we worked on some signal training in camp and participated in the battle reenactments during most of the National Civil War Association (NCWA) events. We concentrated on simple preconcerted flag signals to send intelligence information as well as signals to deploy the infantry and artillery forward.It was basic communications, but it did work and we’re planning for a more involved impression this coming year.

During the battle scenarios the NCWA Union brigade uses the Signal Corps detachment to go forward and observe the Confederate positions just prior to the battles to provide intelligence on the enemy dispositions, a job the Signal Corps did with distinction during the Civil War.As the battles develop, we continue to observe enemy movements and report significant changes. In several battles last season we were used to keep an eye on exposed flanks, similar to what signalmen did on Little Round Top at Gettysburg.

At reenactments and living history demonstrations we use a basic dog tent with two 6 foot poles, a ridge pole, and ropes to create a fly to create a field signal station.Gear is stored in a small teak chest with brass fittings, and a small table with a gray blanket to display signal gear for the public.A telescope is rigged onto a period tripod. Signal flags are prominently displayed when not in use for practice. It’s not a big show, but it’s in keeping with our brigade’s policy of having a campaign camp.

In addition to our living history and reenactment impressions, we study the history of the Union and Confederate signal services during the Civil War. As part of that effort, we will post significant historical documents and articles regarding the Signal Corps on our web pages. We welcome insights and comments from both the reenacting and research communities. We are indebted to the Civil War Signal Corps and United States Military Telegraph of the Ohio Valley Civil War Association (http://www.civilwarsignal.org/) for their generosity in hosting our web page and for all their technical help on fabricating signal equipment. Their web site is a treasure trove of information on the Signal Corps during the Civil War and it is a must read for any Signal Corps historian.

Our Civil War Signal Corps Schedule for 2004:

Our 2004 campaign season promises to be exciting as CHAS and the NCWA are expanding their number of reenactments and living history events. In addition, we are available to work with other California living history and reenactment organizations. We are actively recruiting for the CHAS signal detachment and we would like to add more new signalman to our ranks so that we can operate two teams (observer, flagman, and courier) on the field during all the reenactments.If you are living in California and interested in trying something new in Civil War reenacting, contact us by email at CASigC@aol.com.

Our tentative schedule of events for 2004 is listed below; updates can be found on the CHAS website: www.geocities.com/mountedarty

California Signal Corps 2004 Event Schedule

Feb 28-29 School of Instruction Ardenwood Farm, Fremont
Apr 30/May 1-2 Full Battle Event Gibson Ranch, Sacramento
May 29-31 Full Battle Event Ardenwood Farm, Fremont
July 17-18 Full Battle Event Duncans Mills
Sept 25-26 Full Battle Event Kearney Park, Fresno
Aug 21-22 Full Battle Event Camp Warhorse, Salinas
Oct 16-17 Full Battle Event Butte Farm, Paradise
Nov 13-14 Full Battle Event D&D Ranch, Merced County

Research hints and results of his research from Ken Dombroski

Civil War Research Just Got Easier (and Cheaper).

Here's a very quick method to research The War of the Rebellion:
A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,
otherwise know as the OR on line.
The OR is the key primary source for Civil War research.
Previously, you had to either find a musty old copy of this immense set
in a library and spend hours tracking items down, or you could put down a hefty chuck of change for the CD.
Now there is a third, and free, option, thanks to Cornell University.

Go to the Cornell University Making of America web site listing for the OR.

Once there, scroll down and pick your series and volume.
Battles and campaigns are in Series I and official correspondence in Series III.
For example, if you want to find the annual report on the Signal Corps from 1862,
see Series III, vol. II. Once you click on the volume, use the search for "signal corps"
to find a listing. You can also go to the volume index and look under "Signal Corps."
If you want to copy the report, right click your mouse on the page, select "copy"
then paste it to a Word document. You have to do this for each page.
Because of the nature of the source, you can't copy it as editable text, but you can
quickly build up a printable electronic library of OR documents pertaining to any Civil War
subject you are interested in researching. It's much cheaper than having to buy the entire CD
and easier than spending hours copying it from the library.

Good hunting!
Regards,
Ken Dombroski

Research done by Ken Dombroski

Sources for Myer documents	1861-1862 report	Myer November 1862 report	1864 report	Myer 1863 report
		Short History of the Signal Corps up to circa 1896

Civil War Telegraph; The Beardslee Telegraph

Beardslee Flying Telegraph

Signal Corps

Civil War Telegraph; United States Military Telegraph

U.S. Military Telegraph