"Airmail" in the Civil War -- Creative communications between North & South

    When the Civil War disrupted communications between North and South, people got creative.  The Washington "Republican" gives the following account of people in lower Maryland communicating with friends in Virginia across the Potomac:

Civil War Maryland Patriotic Cover
US36

    "A large kite is made, covered with oiled silk to render it impervious to sea water.  Folded letters and newspapers are tied in loops along the tail.  When the tail is as heavy as can conveniently be carried aloft, a cord long enough to reach two-thirds of the way across the river is attached, and the kite is flown.  After the kite had exhausted the string, the cord is cut and the kite is allowed to be borne by the wind the remainder of the distance, and descends on the Virginia shore, where people are waiting for the load.  With the first favorable wind, back comes the kite to Maryland."  (quoted in Civil War Times Illustrated, May 1964 p.37)

    Wouldn't this type of kite mail delivery would make an interesting living history reenactment!?!

Civil War Virginia Patriotic Cover
CS16

    The above quote from the Civil War Times is from my printed edition of the Civil War Stationery Journal 2004 1:1 that I used to mail out.  Sorry I don't know where the original CWT magazine so that I could give more details like the date on the original article for your information in this post.  What I do remember is that when I read about the kite mail delivery system, I marveled at the creative determination of people back then to keep in touch with each other.  We should include this attitude of determination to keep in touch with loved ones in our living history presentations about the 1860s people we are portraying to spectators.
    When I'm talking to spectators, especially kids, I emphasize how much the soldiers valued getting letters from home, and how much they enjoyed sharing what was happening to them as they were so far away from home.  I often say something like  "just think, there was no phones or emails or Facebook back then;  it took weeks, even months to hear news from home."  I enjoy watching that concept of 'having to wait to talk to someone far away' percolate down into their understanding.  I often followup by asking how they would feel is they had to leave home and not being able to talk to their parents for a long time.  (Now with teenagers this line of questioning produces a smile of 'wouldn't that be nice'.)
    If we say we do reenacting to help people today learn about the past, then let's find ways to help bridge the gap of understanding the challenges they faced in the 1860s that are foreign to us today.

Civil War Maryland Patriotic Cover
CS6