The Past and the Future

Gentlemen of Longstreet's Corps,

I fear I have been too long away from my duties of keeping in touch with you. Even though the campaigns have been few in number this year, many things have kept your Corps Staff busy. Bare with me as I update you on some of the changes that have occurred and the plannings we are at work with.

Some recent changes on the Staff have seen Major Tim Fogarty fill the vacant position of Adjutant for the Artillery branch. I trust you will join with me and wish Major Fogarty well in his new duties. He has served the Infantry Staff well for many years and I trust he shall serve the Artillery well for years to come.

With Major Fogarty accepting this assignment, Captain Les Switzer, who has been serving on Staff as my Aide, will now assume the duties of Quartermaster. Captain Switzer has been working diligently since Spring at organizing the Quartermaster Department to ensure that adequate needs will be supplied in future campaigns. I would ask that when you see Captain Switzer welcome him to his new assignment and let him know of your needs through your respective Company officers.

Many of you may remember Karl Meadows who has served on Staff in the past. I am Honored that Karl has accepted the position of Aide to the Corps Commander. His service in the past has been most admirable and I do look forward to his services once more.

As I have shared with you the new alliances with the ANV organization and with Cleburne's Division from the West, a great deal of work has been accomplished with more to come. I have shared with you that my role as your Corps Commander is to look to the welfare of my men. I continue to see that as my objective. I have also shared with you that I would not seek overall Confederate command if it took me away from my task to see that the Corps was taken care of. I still intend to Honor that commitment. I must tell you now that many event organizers and localities are even now making plans for the 150th anniversary events. It seems like a long time away but, 2011 starts the 150th events.

Our comrades-in-arms in the ANV are already on board and taking the lead with 1st Manassas and Bentonville. Our western alliance in Cleburne's Division is also working on key events like Franklin and Chickamauga. Your Corps has been approached to take the lead with Spotsylvania, Gettysburg, and possibly Cedar Creek, Sayler's Creek and Appomattox.

The leadership of your Corps, the ANV, and Cleburne's Division work well together with no egos or hidden agendas. Our goal, as an Alliance, is to provide ALL re-enactors with good, quality events. Many of you will remember the once in a lifetime experiences of the 125th Anniversary events. Gentlemen, the 150th Anniversary events WILL be the once in a lifetime experience! That is why this alliance of the Corps, the ANV, and Cleburne's Division is so very important.

More than 22 years ago I joined this family of re-enactors because I believed in what you do - give Honor to our anscestors that their service and their memory not be forgotten. We must band together now to do them proud! I ask you to join with me in this endeavor to do what is best for the Corps. Your Corps Staff is hard at work, along with the ANV and Cleburne's Division, laying the groundwork to support each other during the 150th Anniversary events so that we may give you a truly personal experience while doing our utmost duty to Honor our ancestors who made many sacrifices for what they believed in.

I would hope that more of our Corps units will support the Corps Staff in the campaigns to come. I must tell you that I am somewhat disappointed that our numbers in the field have not been what I had hoped for. I know that there have been some difficulties in the past and I trust we are working to put those behind us. We all need to lend our support and efforts to the Corps as a whole. We are family and family supports each other. There are events that your Staff is obligated to attend and beginning with the next Corps meeting I will share with you what events the Staff is obligated to attend in the year to come. My fondest hope would be that your Corps Commander could know that his Gallant men would be there in support.

It is indeed an Honor to serve as your Corps Commander. I still feel that while we move forward to the future, we must keep ahold of the vision of the past. While our course has changed over the years out of necessity, our goal must still be to do our utmost to give all due Honor to our ancestors so that their memory will remain long after we are all gone. I remain,


Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps