Running/navigation Lights On Blockading Ships?

Lisa Murphy

Corporal
Joined
Feb 16, 2019
Location
Washington State
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Does anyone know what kind of running/navigation lights were required on the blockading ships during the war? Apparently one can tell a lot about a ship by its lights at night. I was able to find this in Wikipedia:

"In 1838 the United States passed an act requiring steamboats running between sunset and sunrise to carry one or more signal lights; colour, visibility and location were not specified. In 1846 the United Kingdom passed legislation enabling the Lord High Admiral to publish regulations requiring all sea-going steam vessels to carry lights.[1] The admiralty exercised these powers in 1848 and required steam vessels to display red and green sidelights as well as a white masthead light whilst under way and a single white light when at anchor.[2] In 1849 the U.S. Congress extended the light requirements to sailing vessels."

And this from "A Manual for Naval Cadets" by John M'Neil Boyd (published 1864). But note that this applies to the British Navy, not the American one:

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While the required lights are standard, they are in different positions in different ships or classes. In my Navy days I learned to identify most of our surface combatants by the pattern of their lights. During one of my first watches on the bridge as a junior officer in the Mediterranean, we spotted a ship's lights which I identified as USS Coontz. The pattern was fairly distinctive, and I'd been keeping track of deployments and knew Coontz was the only one of ten in the class then in the Med.
 
While the required lights are standard, they are in different positions in different ships or classes. In my Navy days I learned to identify most of our surface combatants by the pattern of their lights. During one of my first watches on the bridge as a junior officer in the Mediterranean, we spotted a ship's lights which I identified as USS Coontz. The pattern was fairly distinctive, and I'd been keeping track of deployments and knew Coontz was the only one of ten in the class then in the Med.
Cool! Kind of like birdwatching. The Scissor-tailed Flyfrigate.
I have been looking for this kind of info for the Civil War. I can't seem to find any references as to what was required by the navy, and how this might have varied ship-to-ship. Could ships recognize each other back then by their pattern of lights, or is that a more modern thing?
 
One thing I recall reading is that, early in the war, Union blockaders displayed lights to let each other know where they were. Then they discovered that they also let the blockade runners know where they were. So, they were in a bit of a quandary. If they showed lights, they helped the runners spot them; if they didn't, they couldn't keep track of each other.

Radar being some seventy-eighty years in the future, it was a problem they never completely solved.

Canny blockade runners would keep track of these things. As a similar example, expert blockade runner John Wilkinson (skipper of the runner Robert E. Lee for much of her successful career) kept a set of colored signal rockets aboard identical to those used by Union blockaders, and would send them up to cause confusion on the blockade line... seeing as how he was never caught, it probably helped!
 
There were several responses to this issue. First, ships could be assigned an area to patrol (and stay in). If your sector was from North to North East, you better not be found wandering around the southeastern quarter.

Second, lights were lit, but covered -- so they could be shown in an instant. You usually showed the side lights since you wanted the ship you were afraid of running into to know which side of you he was seeing and which way you were going. So if the Officer of the Deck sees a dark form on the starboard side, and he doubts it is a runner, he would order "Show the starboard light!" The running lights have the shortest range (3 or 5 miles, if I remember right), so you are not shinning a big white light from the masthead -- just a local bit of information. As soon as the dark shape changed course and was not a threat for a collision, the light would be covered again.

Third, most ships spent most nights at anchor. This saved fuel and kept everyone from running into each other. Of course on the darkest nights (Runner nights), everyone would try to be ready to spring toward a runner as quickly as possible. This might cause a captain to drift, rather than anchor, but trying to stay in his place.

Outward bound runners would try to get intel from the shore batteries as to where the blockaders were stationed. So, of course, the blockaders would frequently take up their assigned stations in late twilight -- when the shore folks looking to sea would see darkness, but the blockaders, looking toward the shore, could still see some light by which to take station. Yeah, cat and mouse.
 
There were several responses to this issue. First, ships could be assigned an area to patrol (and stay in). If your sector was from North to North East, you better not be found wandering around the southeastern quarter.

Second, lights were lit, but covered -- so they could be shown in an instant. You usually showed the side lights since you wanted the ship you were afraid of running into to know which side of you he was seeing and which way you were going. So if the Officer of the Deck sees a dark form on the starboard side, and he doubts it is a runner, he would order "Show the starboard light!" The running lights have the shortest range (3 or 5 miles, if I remember right), so you are not shinning a big white light from the masthead -- just a local bit of information. As soon as the dark shape changed course and was not a threat for a collision, the light would be covered again.

Third, most ships spent most nights at anchor. This saved fuel and kept everyone from running into each other. Of course on the darkest nights (Runner nights), everyone would try to be ready to spring toward a runner as quickly as possible. This might cause a captain to drift, rather than anchor, but trying to stay in his place.

Outward bound runners would try to get intel from the shore batteries as to where the blockaders were stationed. So, of course, the blockaders would frequently take up their assigned stations in late twilight -- when the shore folks looking to sea would see darkness, but the blockaders, looking toward the shore, could still see some light by which to take station. Yeah, cat and mouse.
Do you suppose that these were the usual pattern of green light on the starboard side and red portside?
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How about when they were NOT on blockade: going into harbor for repairs or back out again to rejoin their fleet... red/green to the sides and white on the masts above? Were they allowed distinctive/identifying patterns like the ships Carronade talks about identifying? I understand that they used stained glass to make the colors. I am surprised to hear that the light could be seen as much as 5 miles distant. That seems a long way to me, but then DaveBrt implies that other lights were even stronger. Wow.

I found this cool history of lighting on ships, different types of candles used, oil lamps, gas lamps, and eventually electricity. Nerds at work, here. LIFE AT SEA IN THE OLD AND NEW TIMELINES, PART 3: SHIPBOARD LIGHTING AND FIRE PREVENTION
 
How about when they were NOT on blockade: going into harbor for repairs or back out again to rejoin their fleet... red/green to the sides and white on the masts above? Were they allowed distinctive/identifying patterns like the ships Carronade talks about identifying? I understand that they used stained glass to make the colors. I am surprised to hear that the light could be seen as much as 5 miles distant. That seems a long way to me, but then DaveBrt implies that other lights were even stronger. Wow.

I found this cool history of lighting on ships, different types of candles used, oil lamps, gas lamps, and eventually electricity. Nerds at work, here. LIFE AT SEA IN THE OLD AND NEW TIMELINES, PART 3: SHIPBOARD LIGHTING AND FIRE PREVENTION
The running lights and masthead lights were standard -- what was not standard was the relation between the mast and the running lights. The masthead light was visible all around, while the running lights could only be seen from essentially abreast to the bow (about 110 degrees).

As ships got larger and faster, a second white light was added to the masthead to help indicate direction of travel (the one nearer the bow is lower than the masthead light). For the same reason, a stern light was also added, lower than the other two white lights. The forward and stern lights cannot both be seen at the same time, so one white light and the masthead light are always visible and indicate direction of movement.

The identification of ships by their lights is not in any book. You learn to recognize the lighting relationships of the ships you are with. The lights of a destroyer, a carrier and an oiler are all the same, but where they are in relation to each other varies by ship type.

In the CW, ships would always run with their lights on, except when on their blockade station.
 
Nerds indeed! Eric Flint's Ring of Fire parallel universe fully mobilized science fiction (fantasy?) technology and arcane history reader/research addicts worldwide. Like this article, much or most of their product is well footnoted, although you must be wary of the occasional jokester.
Integrating fiction into history is such fun. Walking the line between what actually happened (as far as we can discover) and what we can imagine using the lives of fanciful characters makes the past come alive in a wonderful way. Sharp's Rifles, or Dorothy's Dunnett's books, Patrick O'Brian's series etc... and then, what could be better than adding time travel? Allowing modern eyes to appraise the past first hand and live the differences. I don't do that with my current series (I am sticking to straight Historical Fiction at the moment, having written two Magical Realism books--published-- and 4 sci-fi for children--as yet unpublished), but yes, time travel is a nerdly paradise. I haven't read Eric Flint, but I just downloaded the Kindle version of 1632 and will give him a try. Fun fun fun. Happy pirating!

By-the-by, I have a pirate in my Civil War novels. If you are interested in Beta-reading his sections, I am always looking for sharp-eyed readers. Would love a fellow pirate's take on it.
 
The running lights and masthead lights were standard -- what was not standard was the relation between the mast and the running lights. The masthead light was visible all around, while the running lights could only be seen from essentially abreast to the bow (about 110 degrees).

As ships got larger and faster, a second white light was added to the masthead to help indicate direction of travel (the one nearer the bow is lower than the masthead light). For the same reason, a stern light was also added, lower than the other two white lights. The forward and stern lights cannot both be seen at the same time, so one white light and the masthead light are always visible and indicate direction of movement.

The identification of ships by their lights is not in any book. You learn to recognize the lighting relationships of the ships you are with. The lights of a destroyer, a carrier and an oiler are all the same, but where they are in relation to each other varies by ship type.

In the CW, ships would always run with their lights on, except when on their blockade station.

Ahha! I understand what you're describing to be this: Two lights, one each on the fore and mizzen masts, both up high. Plus, one foremast light that is lower, and one mizzen mast light that is even lower. Depending on the spacing of the lights, you can tell if the ship is coming towards you (high and middle lights), or going away (high and low lights). Have I got it?

So, I found this, to help me visualize what you're saying.
From the website Astrolab Sailing.
It does not say how old this system is, for this isn't a historical site. And it is all much more complicated than what they seem to have been using, but the diagram does help me to imagine it all more clearly.
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Using lanterns such as this, The port and starboard running lights could be directed, and not seen from everywhere, only from the bow (red and green), or one side (red or green), yes? The other ship's port side passing you (red), the other ship's starboard side passing you (green). Yes?

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From the site
"Worthpoint"

I bet this is all as natural to you as breathing. New to me, though! Thank you, thank you! This really helps.
 
Ahha! I understand what you're describing to be this: Two lights, one each on the fore and mizzen masts, both up high. Plus, one foremast light that is lower, and one mizzen mast light that is even lower. Depending on the spacing of the lights, you can tell if the ship is coming towards you (high and middle lights), or going away (high and low lights). Have I got it?

So, I found this, to help me visualize what you're saying.
From the website Astrolab Sailing.
It does not say how old this system is, for this isn't a historical site. And it is all much more complicated than what they seem to have been using, but the diagram does help me to imagine it all more clearly.
View attachment 393150




Using lanterns such as this, The port and starboard running lights could be directed, and not seen from everywhere, only from the bow (red and green), or one side (red or green), yes? The other ship's port side passing you (red), the other ship's starboard side passing you (green). Yes?

View attachment 393151
View attachment 393152View attachment 393153

From the site
"Worthpoint"

I bet this is all as natural to you as breathing. New to me, though! Thank you, thank you! This really helps.
On the chart, you would be using the left set, the third and fourth images down and the next pair down.

The place where the running lights were placed had the proper angles built in, so the lanterns could be used on either side, with just a change of the glass lens.

Yes, your example is correct -- you want like colors next to each other -- green to green or red to red.
 
On the chart, you would be using the left set, the third and fourth images down and the next pair down.

The place where the running lights were placed had the proper angles built in, so the lanterns could be used on either side, with just a change of the glass lens.

Yes, your example is correct -- you want like colors next to each other -- green to green or red to red.
So you know it is coming towards you because you see two white mast lights, and going away because you see only the stern light (none on the masts)?
 
When I was younger I bought a fishing boat. It was a 14 footer with an 18 HP motor. It was fitted with the lights as mentioned above but didn’t know what they were for. After taking a navigation course that was required by the state I learned what they were for.
 
When I was younger I bought a fishing boat. It was a 14 footer with an 18 HP motor. It was fitted with the lights as mentioned above but didn’t know what they were for. After taking a navigation course that was required by the state I learned what they were for.
LOL! You must have been quite the hazard in port until you figured it out. Ah, the bruises of inexperience. We just have to hope they are bruises, and not major fractures... Thanks for the great story. 😊
 
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