HOW TO JOIN

To join the American Civil War Society, you will need to fill in an application form, sign it, and return it with the appropriate fee, to:

Membership Director
ACWS Ltd,
PO Box 270
WASHINGTON
NE37 9BX
U.K.

Membership Application Forms and further information are available by Snail Mail from the above address, or by our on-line feedback form.

A Membership Application Form may be downloaded or opened by clicking on one of the following links:

• Blank Membership Form PDF format
• Create a Personalised PDF Membership Form
• Print a Membership Form from your browser

A Membership Application Form for Juniors (under 14 years old) may be downloaded or opened by clicking the following link:

• Blank Junior Membership Form PDF format

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You may pay your subscription on-line using PayPal^® by clicking here , but you will still need to complete an Application Form, sign it, and post to the Membership Director, before your application can be accepted.

WHAT DOES IT COST ?

The current annual membership fees are as follows:

• No Cost- Junior
• £30.00 - Individual
• £40.00 - Couple or Single Parent Family Membership
• £50.00 - Full Family Membership

A Junior is defined as any child under 14 years of age whose parent or legal guardian is a full paying member.
A Couple is defined as two Married or Common Law Partners living in the same household.
A Single Parent Family is defined as one Parent, plus any Children living in the same household.
A Family is defined as any number of members of the same family living in the same household.
Applicants must be aged 14 years or over.

There is a small registration fee charged at most events, to help pay for toilets, wood, etc. This can vary between £5 for sponsored events to £10 for self funded events. Non-members may guest once before joining and there is a £5 surcharge for this. The cost of your uniform varies depending on which unit you join. The basic necessities are usually kepi, trousers, jacket, belt, boots and a musket. Uniforms can be made for a few pounds if you are handy with a needle, otherwise approx. £90 should sort you out. Your musket will probably be the most expensive and can range from £50 to £250 depending on which type you prefer. There are usually second hand muskets available, but always check with your unit before any purchase as this will almost certainly save you money.

WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF THE SOCIETY?

Our aim is to recapture the life and times of the soldier during the American Civil War 1861-1865, and produce a living history scenario for our audiences. The best way of doing this is to forget your modern day trappings and try sleeping in a white canvas tent, cook on a open fire, experience the sound of cannon, the smell of black powder, the gathering around the camp fires. I am sure you will find the experience truly enjoyable.

CAN I BRING MY FAMILY?

Yes we are a family oriented society. You can see this by the size of our family camps. Most of our women dress in period costume and many also fight as infantry or artillery. Our children themselves soon get involved making friends with other children and dressing up in period clothes; they even join the band or cadet corps and often become members in their own right as soon they are old enough.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I JOIN?

You will either be allocated a unit or you can pick one of your own (see list). You will be given a list of events and directions when you arrive at an event. You will report to either Union/Confederate HQ or your own unit who will make you welcome and give you the opportunity to see if you really will enjoy re-enacting, before you commit yourself to spending on uniforms and equipment.

WHERE DO I SLEEP?

If you have a modern tent or caravan then go to the family camp. The camp co-ordinator will direct you to a pitch. If you wish to camp authentically then you need to let us know in advance, so that we can make a white tent available and lend you some period clothing.

WHAT HAPPENS AT MY FIRST EVENT?

You will almost certainly make new friends, get to know about the ACWS, get the feel of what re-enacting is all about, familiarise yourself with the uniforms, weapons and equipment of the period. You will learn the basic drill requirements even take part in your first battle but only under supervision and usually in a non-combatant role.

WHAT DO WE DO IN THE EVENINGS?

The evening is a time to relax, sit round a camp-fire, tell yarns, have a drink, sing songs and generally enjoy good conversation. You can go and find the local tavern, or take advantage of facilities generally laid on by the event organiser.

WHERE ARE EVENTS AND HOW OFTEN ?

They can be all over the country, although the ACWS events tend to be in the Midlands and North. There are usually around eight events a year between the months of March and September, but some regiments have smaller events of their own, for raising their own funds. Many events have other activities in which we can usually partake, i.e. Balloon Festivals, Victorian Festivals, Corporate Bashes etc.

WHAT LICENCES DO I REQUIRE ?

Generally a shotgun licence and a black powder licence are all you need.

WHAT UNITS CAN I JOIN ?

Union Regiments	Confederate Regiments
1st US Sharpshooters 19th Indiana 69th New York 118th Pennsylvania 2nd US Artillery	1st Tennessee 2nd South Carolina 32nd Virginia 43rd North Carolina Rockbridge Artillery

IF YOU ARE STILL INTERESTED....

Membership Application Forms and further information are available by Snail Mail from the above address, by our on-line feedback form.

A Membership Application Form may be downloaded or opened by clicking here for Adbobe^® Acrobat^® format.
To download a FREE Adbobe^® Acrobat^® Reader, click on this button