California Historical Artillery Society

All visiting reenactors must be members of bona fide Civil War reenactment organizations. Reenacting can be dangerous for both the individual reenactor as well as those around him/her. Membership in a Civil War reenactment organization presumes a certain amount of prior training and knowledge of reenacting.

EVENT SITE MUST CLOSE AT 10:00 a.m. MONDAY MORNING!!
Participants and/or vehicles will not be able to stay "late" as in past years. EVERYONE must be out of the event site by 10:00 a.m. Monday morning.

PLEASE NOTE: Reenactors with a current membership card from a recognized club will pay a flat fee at registration of $10. Families with current cards for all members registering at once will pay $15. As has always been the case in the past, those without current membership cards at time of registration will continue to pay $20 per individual or $30 for all family members registering at one time.

All reenactors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is also participating in the event, or must have a form transferring legal guardianship for the duration of the event to an adult who will be participating.

All visiting reenactors should familiarize themselves with the PACWR safety rules, the Safety Rules of their own organizations, as well as rules specific to this event that may be published on the CHAS website and/or the event web site.

CHAS is not responsible for any loss of or damages to property or person at events. There is no coverage or reimbursement for injury or damage to property, person, animals or materiel at events. Participants agree that any waivers signed in favor of their parent organization apply to this event.

Since it is responsible for the administration of its rules and for the safety of the event, CHAS reserves the right to turn down guest reenactors, or members of specific organizations, or to direct that visiting reenactors leave the event.

In the absence of anything specific not covered here, the Event Coordinator has absolute discretion on any safety issues. The following specific rules apply to the event:

All participants are required to register upon arrival.
All vehicles must be out of camps by 9:00 a.m. Saturday. No private vehicles will be allowed back in camps, for any purpose, prior to the end of the event without the specific permission of the Event Coordinator. Anyone needing to leave prior to the end of the event will have to pack out.
No amplified devices/players/radios of any type will be allowed at any time.
After 10 p.m. have fun, but remember the person next to you may be trying to sleep. 12:00 PM Friday and Saturday will be enforced as "all quiet." (Individual commanders may set an earlier time for their camps.) Please respect the sleep of fellow re-enactors.
Authenticity rules will be enforced. This will be particularly true in the authentic Military and Civilian camps and on the battlefield. All uniforms, dresses and shoes must be of proper period materials and construction. All anachronisms in the authentic camps and demonstration areas (such as coolers, cameras, modern cigarettes, watches, packages or food, must be hidden during public hours.
No horses in civilian, infantry, or sutler camps during public hours.
There are to be no unattended fires at any time. Water buckets or camouflaged fire extinguishers are to be maintained near open fires at all times. Clean trash out of fire pits and replace dirt at the end of the event.
Rowdiness, abusive language or public drunkenness will not be tolerated at any time. Unit commanders are responsible for all unit members - military and civilian.
No consumption of alcohol during public hours. No illegal substances at any time; violations will be referred to the local law enforcement agency.
Under no circumstances shall participants allow any civilian or spectator to handle or fire a weapon or ride or sit on a horse. Their lawyers would eat you alive in court.
There is to be no riding or hiking in off-limits areas of this private property.

FIELD SAFETY RULES

Period weapons only. No live ammunition or fireworks. No projectiles, bullets, musket balls, or loading blocks shall be carried at any time at the scene of an event. Exceptions include only original or reproduction period ordnance maintained in a suitably secure static display for Living History purposes.
Minimum age to carry a weapon, service an artillery piece or ride with cavalry is 14. No one under 14 is allowed on the field, and no one under the age of 14 will carry or use a weapon of any type while in camp or on the field.
No firearms are to be discharged in or near the camps under ANY circumstances.
No penny wrappers, staples, wads or tape are to be used for cartridges. Pre-rolled rounds only.
No hand-to-hand or individual heroics unless part of a planned and command approved scenario. Anyone who engages in hand to hand contact with opposing re-enactors without prior consent of army commanders will be ejected from the field.
Direct aimed fire at persons shall not take place within 30 feet. If persons are within 30 feet, firing is to be indirect and up in the air. Direct aimed fire at mounted persons shall not take place within 60 feet. If mounted persons are within 60 feet, firing is to be indirect and up in the air. All weapons are to be inspected prior to battle. Safety inspections are mandatory.
Neither direct nor indirect aimed fire towards the spectator/safety line shall take place within 60 feet of the safety line. When battle scenarios are taking place near the safety line, there shall be no flanking maneuvers along the safety line.
Commanders are responsible for getting information to their troops and are responsible for the conduct of their troops.
No re-enactor may be armed with more than one long arm. No more than two revolvers may be carried by any re-enactor, and each must be in an appropriate holster. No pistols in belts, pockets, etc. Extra pistol cylinders may be carried on the field in an appropriate leather pouch.
Ramrods may be carried with muskets and carbines, but may never be drawn on the field. The drawing of a ramrod on the field shall result in mandatory expulsion from the field. Bayonets shall never be placed on a musket on the field.
Swords and sabers may be used on the field, with all due care being used for the execution of a combat scenario.
Any participant on the field shall call a cease-fire when an unsafe situation is discovered.
The safety zone for artillery shall be 60 feet. Firearms shall not be discharged within 30 feet of a limber or pass box.
Under no circumstance shall artillerists leave a pass box or limber with live round. If overrun, fall on the pass box or near the limber.
Cartridges greater than 70 grains for .54 to .58 cal. muskets and 90 grains for .69 cal. muskets shall not be permitted. Pistols of .36 cal. shall be loaded with no more than 14 grains of powder. Pistols of .44 cal. shall be loaded with no more than 30 grains of powder. The intentional use of a double charged musket will result in the individual's being ejected from the field. (When a misfire results, the user should attempt to re-cap and fire the musket again. If failure occurs again, the individual should leave the formation, proceed to the rear, and dump the powder from the muzzle in a widely dispersed area, if necessary, before attempting to charge the musket again.)
No powder horns or flasks shall be permitted on the field.
Cartridges shall be carried only in cartridge boxes. Tompions shall be left in camp. No Wonder Wads shall ever be used. Firearms may not be discharged in camp.
If weapons remain undischarged at the end of a battle, they will be cleared by volley fire. Following the volley fire, weapons will be capped once more and fired to insure they are clear.
Knives will never be drawn on the field without specific permission of the division commander.
Any horse and rider not certified by the CHAS, ACWS, NCWA, ACWA, RACW or other approved "umbrella" California re-enactor organization, shall be tested by the Chief of Cavalry prior to taking the field.
Commanders shall establish a "horse watch" between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Impressionists (those individuals portraying a particular historical figure of high rank or who are particularly well-known to the public) are permitted on the battlefield by invitation of the Event Coordinator only.
Safety marshals will be on the field during all battles and will be identifiable by a white arm bandage. The marshal is authorized to �kill� on the spot, or expel from the field, anyone observed engaging in any unsafe acts.
Any individual who is �killed� for a safety violation or expelled from the field for any infraction mentioned above may not return to the field without the express consent of the Event Coordinator.
All safety infractions or other disputes will be resolved in a timely manner, and as close to the time of the infraction or dispute as possible, by a committee consisting of the Event Coordinator and the Presidents of the ACWA and NCWA. Disputes between participants, on or off the field, will not be tolerated.