Signal Corps Museum photos
of
Fully Functional Replicas
of
the Beardslee Field
Flying Telegraph!


Designed and Built by
Dave Bock and David Harbin

With the original from Hilton Head
at the
Signal Museum, Fort Gordon, Georgia


The following is a press release to the Center for Military History newsletter


A three year waiting period finally paid off for the Signal Corps Museum. It all started off as a casual conversation between a museum volunteer Mr. Cliff Manasco and Mr. David Bock a Civil War Signal Corps history enthusiast. On April 30th two, fully functional, Civil War era, reproduction Beardslee Electromagnetic Telegraphs were delivered. The museum has a rare original of one of the machines. Parts are missing and naturally couldn't be used even if it was complete.

Mr. Mike Rodgers, exhibits designer, took many photos of the original Beardslee for Mr. Bock and his partners Mr. David Harbin and Mr. Ted Wagner to get started making the Beardslees. This was no small undertaking. They made six Beardslees in all. The outward appearance of the machines are exactly like the original but that is where the similarities ends. The insides of the machines are full of electronics. With no schematics to go by Mr. Bock and his partners had to figure out how to make the machines work like the original. Fortunately Mr. Bock is an electronics designer. After many failures, successes and field trials the machines performed as the original would. They even built in electronic "faults" which were characteristic of the original. Mr. Bock and partners absorbed the cost for both machines estimated to be worth $15,000.00 EACH !!

The Beardslees will be used as an educational tool for all groups visiting the museum as well as the museum's "living history" program. The educational value is priceless as are the machines. For more information on the Beardslee go to www.civilwarsignal.org/ .

Mike Rodgers
Exhibits Designer
Signal Corps Museum




Beardslee box #4
at Signal Museum
30 April 2002
Beardslee box #3
at Signal Museum
30 April 2002
Beardslee box #3 and #4
at Signal Museum
30 April 2002
Beardslee box #3 and #4
at Signal Museum
30 April 2002
second view

Original Beardslee
showing stepping motor (left)
and magneto pile (right)
Original Beardslee
showing stepping motor
Original Beardslee
Note 1:5 gear set
followed by 1:2 gear set
Original Beardslee showing
hand dial coupling

Beardslee (original) magneto pile
six coils
Beardslee (original) coupling
note soldered connections to switch
Beardslee (original) 1:5 gear set
60 pulses for 30 steps
Beardslee (original) dial
copper dial with silver plate
indicator needle missing

Beardslee (original)
switches and magneto top
Beardslee (original)left side
Beardslee (original) back view
Beardslee (original) latch assembly

Beardslee (original)
switches and magneto top
Beardslee (original) right side
Beardslee (original) front view
Beardslee (original) from front
Christine Bock viewing

Beardslee replicas now part of the Signal Corps Museum
a gift from
Dave Bock and David Harbin


Mike Rodgers of the Signal Museum
at Fort Gordon
accepting the Beardslee Replicas
to be used by Mike and Cliff in the field.
Bannerman Catalog of Military Goods - 1927,
Francis Bannerman and Sons, NY, pg 334
from the Signal Corps Museum
Note: this is box 89
a higher number than the 60
thought to have existed.
Beardslee at the Monmouth museum
Back of photo reads:
Veterans of the signal corps of 1898
appearing in this picture left to right
Warren L. Jacobus 11th Co Dec'd
William D. Hameton (?) 2nd Co

Fraurs (?) N. Lawton 3rd Co Dec'd
- Donated Beardslee

Harry T (?) Mc Clutock (?) 9th Co Dec'd
Paul J, Jaehrmgen (?) Co H Dec'd
Albert P. Hyatt Y (?) Co
Circa 1940's(?)
Beardslee Telegraph Stations
in Fredricksburg Campaign, Dec 1862
orignal drawing used by Brown
from the Signal Museum
Brown added to this drawing
The Delacy house shown.

Colonel Foley
Chief of Staff of the Signal Corps
inspects the Beardslee Replicas
Ted Wise
The director of the
Signal Corps Museum
with the Beardslee replicas
The checklist for the Signal Telegraph Train
Colonel Debow
Director of Public Works, Signal Corps,
Fort Gordon, GA
inspects the Beardslee Replicas



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