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US Naval Civil War Reenactment

US Navy Officer Civil War Uniform
Lieutenant Commander, USN


Boy 3rd class Robert Gordon
Robert Gordon, Boy 3rd Class
After the Sinking of the U.S.S. Nathaniel Brewster by the C.S.S. Virginia

Captain and Powder Monkey
Captain and Powder Monkey

MRA is pleased to announce that we have a civil war naval reenactment available for schools, meetings, etc. Our reenactors live the life of a fictional US Navy Officer - Lieutenant Commanding Ezra Seals and family.

This US Civil War family is based in Norwich, CT. Lieutenant Seals commanded a gun boat, USS Nathaniel Brewster, which was sunk by the CSS Virginia on 8 March 1862. He was in the first four year class at the Naval Academy and served aboard two ships of the line before being given command.

While in command of the Brewster, he fought several small skirmishes on the Potomac in defense of Washington, D.C., he participated in the invasion of North Carolina as part of the Anaconda Plan, and had the misfortune to engage the CSS Virginia.

His new assignment is aboard one of the newest classes of gunboats and upon assuming command his ship is expected to join in the blockade of the Confederate States of America in the Western Gulf Squadron

Lieutenant Commanding Seals will arrive in period naval uniform and will be completely unaware of modern conveniences. Having served aboard steam ships and sailing vessels and had several battles he will fascinate audiences with his tales of life in the 1850s and 1860s.

Lieutenant Seals generally speaks for about 45 minutes and leaves 15 minutes for questions and answers. More or less time can be made available.

Lieutenant Seals' family, with enough notice, can be available as well. His wife, Hannah, is from a prominent and wealthy family from Maryland. While most of her family is for the Southern Cause, Hannah is vehemently opposed to slavery and is deeply involved in the Underground Railroad in Norwich. Putting herself at odds with her close knit family rips apart the bonds of her birth family. Daughter Lydia tells of what life is like for the children living in the 1860's in a city which produces vast amounts of milled fabrics and hand weapons. With Norwich as a huge manufacturing center, port, and railhead she has seen many wondrous things and people in her short life.

Let this family relate to you what life was like 140 years ago. Actually living in a pre-Civil War home they can weave a story of what daily life was like - from the daily hardships of keeping a fire constantly going for food and heat - to the monumental struggle to retain the Union as seen through their eyes.

Confederate one dollar bill

Lieutenant Seals requests a $20 donation which helps defray his costs of accouterments (this is completely voluntary) - which he pays to his sutler and any travel expenses. Additionally, Lieutenant Seals provides period coins and bills (with their own fascinating history), period writing utensils, sword, kit bag, maps, and pictures.

Union 25 cent bill

Please indicate topics you would like Lieutenant Seals to speak to (i.e. life in the 1860s, Norwich history prior to 1862, Naval life). Also indicate the intended audience (i.e. grade 1-2, high school juniors, annual meeting of historical society) and desired length of talk.

Please note that Lieutenant Seals will only be able to provide information from his point of view. For instance if asked questions about General Lee, he will only point out that information which he has heard or read. Being a sailor he has little knowledge of what the armies are doing. However, he is well read, and will most certainly give his opinion about current (1862) events.

Powder Monkey Picture
Robert Gordon, Boy 3rd class at muster on Norwich's Chelsea Parade

Norwich, Connecticut History

Lieutenant Commanding, Ezra Seals, USN is available to talk about life and growing up in the 1840s and 1850s in the Norwich Area. Ezra lived mainly with his uncle and aunt while his merchant father was sailing to and from India.

While Ezra and his immediate family is complete fiction, the events, people, and items he describes are all historically accurate. Ezra can answer many questions. Among them:

  • How much schooling did children have?
  • What were schools like - what did a student learn?
  • What did children do when they left school?
  • What is an indentured servant/slave?
  • What did Norwich look like?
  • Was there a high school? Was there a library?
  • What businesses were there in town?
  • What did children wear?
  • How did they keep warm in winter?

... and many more!

Ezra Seals and Robert Gordon Picture
The Captain receives his daily orders from the Squadron Commander

Battle of Mobile Bay

Ezra Seals, now a battle hardened officer, fresh from the Mississippi campaign is ordered to report to Admiral Farragut's force located outside Mobile Bay, Alabama. His crew, having encountered rebel forces on a near daily basis for the last several months are glad for the brief respite from the war. However, Ezra will soon witness the destruction of the USS Tecumseh.

Pre-engagement briefings with the Admiral reveal that there is an infernal machine (submarine) lurking in the Bay and two iron clads are nearing or are completed in construction.

Ezra is prepared to talk to the tactics and the strategy of defeating two large forts, running a gauntlet of torpedoes (mines) and the final actions against the CSS Tennessee.

And the terror of realizing that there was a submarine in the area after it and the crew is captured... Did the Tecumseh really hit a torpedo?


U.S.S. Alligator The U.S. Navy's first submarine

Infernal Machines

In this talk, Geoff McLean, dressed in period naval uniform will give an in-depth talk of submarines and submarine warfare in the Civil War. Did you know that there were at least 20 and maybe 24 or more submarines in the Civil War?. Submarines served on both sides of the conflict.

Geoff will come equipped to talk about the recent discovery of the existence of the USS Alligator - the true forerunner of the modern submarine. Additionally, he will discuss what the US Navy and NOAA are doing to find the Alligator. He will also discuss many Southern submarines and "David" class semi-submersibles.

Submarines operated in many theaters of the war and it is fascinating to find out that two opposing submarines were in the same theater at the same time.

Torpedoes terrified Union crews as did submarines. Learn how a torpedo was used from a submarine to sink the USS Housatonic. Was the USS Tecumseh sunk by torpedo or submarine?

To learn more about the hunt for the USS Alligator visit

Ezra Seals
The Captain ensures his orders are followed

Invasion of North Carolina Spring 1862

In this talk, Lieutenant Commander Seals will give a first hand account of his first command including the defense of Washington DC on the Potomac, The Invasion of South Carolina, and the Day the Virginia destroyed the U.S. Naval Fleet at Fort Monroe.

The Captain will show the audience captured Confederate bills, discuss the various battles, and encounters with local populations of North Carolina.

Hand drawn maps of the areas will be discussed showing the terrain features and how the U.S. Navy exploited these features

The Navy's part of the Anaconda Plan and how the Navy will win the war for the Union will be discussed.

Daily Life of a Sailor

Learn what sailors did during their tours at sea during the War of the Rebellion

Sailors on the blockade faced the challenge of severe boredom and mutiny was always a threat. How did they cope with out news of their families?

Sailors in the brown water Navy fought battles alongside their Army brethren. What did they take ashore with them? What were their weapons?

And for all sailors what were their seabags stuffed with? How did they entertain themselves? How did they mend themselves? And how did what they do compare to civilian life?

Commander Seals and either his daughter, Lydia, or Robert Gordon will mesmerize you with how life was lived in this non-electric age where the modern industrial revolution was just beginning to take place

This presentation is appropriate for all age groups, and our reenactors will bring with them as much period materials as they can - from weapons to housewives, and gills to hardtack


The U.S. Navy's role in the Civil War is all but forgotten. Outnumbered by their army brethren some 10 to 1 it is small wonder that the battles the Navy waged are almost lost to history. School children are taught the Army view of the war - devoid of the Navy's participation.

It was said that Mr. Lincoln's Navy could go wherever there was a puddle on the ground. Indeed sailors often fought side-by-side with the soldiers. Enduring the same hardships.

Audiences have been thrilled to learn of the exploits of these gallant men and all come away learning something new of the history of this great nation.

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 Reenacting for re-enactment inquiries

Picture

photos © Copyright 2003 MRA

Black and white Photos © Copyright 2005 Peter J Crowley Studios