I just found out that our unit is participating in a morning tactical.  Premise is feds and rebs have headquarters and there is a treasure chest place somewhere on the prop. Our mission if we choose to accept it is. we have to get the chest to our headquarters and defend it against all comers until time expires.
We can either go all out and get the chest,send runners to get it, our split our forces with some guarding base.  Now being 50 something I think I will volunteer to guard base.  Now after all this here is my question.
Were trip lines/wires used to give advance notice of the enemy coming? (you know like tin cans tied to strings with rocks in them for noise). Or is this a modern affectation?

Look up "wire entanglements" in any of the period references to fixed works. They take a lot of work (especially in hard ground) and are more akin to what one would see in WW1 than "c ration cans on WD1" as you describe.  Suitable wire can be found at any TSC type store.

aH THERE CAN BE THE PROBLEM!!  I looked up "trip lines" "Trip wires".  Will have to look and see on entanglements.  We are going to be in heavy woods, swamp land, goin to be interesting as there is poison ivy, thistles, berry bushes, and the age old brush.

I suspect you might find something vaguely applicable by searching 'Burnside +Knoxville +"telegraph wire"', though I haven't tried it.  

Apart from that, I have mixed feelings about playing Capture the Flag with muskets.

Hey this is a streamer event remember... So don't forget to bring the 3 hoglegs too.

I would suggest Claymore Mines....Ooops wrong war