Civil War communications spotlighted at Hanna's Town encampment, reenactments

Five cannons, 10 presenters, a regimental band and a working telegraph station will help bring the mid-19th century back to life during a Civil War battle reenactment and encampment Saturday and Sunday at Historic Hanna’s Town.

Hempfield resident Bob Sidley is helping to organize the weekend event as a member of a reenactment group — 11th Pennsylvania Reserves, 40th Regiment, Company C. He portrays an infantry soldier with the group, which alternates between the reenactment at Hanna’s Town one year and an event at Grove City the following year.

At Hanna’s Town, Sidley said, “We’ve had 67 reenactors, and this year we have 180 registered.

“The pandemic pretty much shut down reenactments last year. It’s opened up pretty wide this year.”

A highlight this year will be Civil War-era music performed on period instruments by the Altoona-based 46th Pennsylvania Regiment Band, also known as the Logan Guard. The group was formed in 1995 to honor the same-named historical regiment, a militia unit from Lewistown and musicians from the Birdsboro Community Band, who enlisted as a group and maintained the morale of Union troops with their music.

The band will present an outdoor concert at 6 p.m. Saturday.

“People will be able to take blankets and chairs and sit to listen to (the band),” Sidley said, adding, “The band will be on the field playing during the battle reenactment, just like the band did during the Civil War, urging the troops on.”

Battle reenactments are set for 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday, and artillery demonstrations will take place at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.

Multiple reenactment organizations will be involved in the weekend activities and encampment.

The event will spotlight different modes of communication used during the war, including the postal system and telegraph lines.

”We’ll have a working telegraph that will send messages” from command headquarters to the troop encampment, where a runner will relay orders to officers on the field, Sidley said.

Reenactors organized as a signal corps also will be on hand, demonstrating how flags were used to send messages.

A program on the Civil War postal system is set for 10 a.m. each day. Telegraph and flag demonstrations are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. each day, and at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.

‘Meade’ set to command

Returning for this year’s event will be Major Gen. George Meade, who commanded Union forces at Gettysburg and is portrayed by Minnesota resident and Army Reserve veteran Gary Carlberg. He will be featured at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. At reenactments, Carlberg interacts with visitors while remaining in character.

There was a reason soldiers serving under Meade called him a “groggily-eyed snapping turtle,” Carlberg noted. “He had baggy eyes, wore spectacles when reading and snapped meanly at anyone who did not follow his orders or desires.

“This mean streak actually worked well in combat, as when Meade gave an order, no one dared to disobey.”

Speakers slated

Other presentations will include:

• Overview of the Grand Army of the Republic — Saturday only, at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., and again at 3 p.m.;

• Zouave Light Infantry — 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. both days;

• Civil War Medicine from a Southern View — 10 a.m. both days;

• Women in the Civil War — 11 a.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday;

• Civil War Invalid Corps — 10 and 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday; 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

“There’s a whole lot going on,” Sidley said. “People should be able to see almost anything they want.”

Dating to 1773, Hanna’s Town hosted the first English courts west of the Allegheny Mountains. Though no troops were engaged at the site during the Civil War, nearly a century later, all of Western Pennsylvania provided soldiers, equipment, transportation systems and civilian support that were vital to the Union victory.