Ladies and Gentlemen of the Corps;
I had not realized that it had been so long since my last communique`. I will endeavor to post a comment on a monthly basis.
Although we are currently in our "off season", the Corps Staff has been very busy working on a variety of issues on behalf of the Corps. Since the Corps meeting, the Staff (along with the artillery Staff) has been working with other organizations within the Blue-Gray Alliance to come to an acceptable compromise concerning a safety regulation known as "the three-minute rule". I am confident that a compromise has been achieved. I would like to extend a great deal of gratitude to all who worked diligently to achieve a workable agreement for the benefit of not only the Blue-Gray Alliance, but for the re-enacting community as a whole.
The Staff has been working diligently with Tim Greene and the Endview Plantation Staff in preparation for our event there in a few short weeks. As you know, we will be presenting the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Big Bethel. Additional earthworks and redoubts have already been constructed in preparation for the event. Tony Daniels is scheduled to be the Federal commander with support from the USV and other Federal units. There is still time to register.
The cavalry Staff has been working within the cavalry community in support of General Ken Wilts as he organizes a new cavalry organization. Brigadier General Sheppard and his Staff have been working within the cavalry community to establish a working relationship with other organizations as we enter the 150th Anniversary events.
I want to thank each and every one who took the opportunity to answer the call concerning the April events in Gettysburg. The Staff received responses from a great number of units and with your cooperation were able to provide a report to the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee.
Work continues in preparation for the Spotsylvania event in May. We will soon have a walk-thru scheduled with the Federal command to fine-tune the scenarios and camping grounds. Again Tony Daniels and his Staff will command the Union side. There will be trenches, fortifications, and artillery lunettes constructed here as well. Saturday's battle will feature a Wilderness type tactical engagement in a wooded area.
You can help with the preparation of events by registering as soon as possible. The Staff depends on your commitments to prepare for sufficient camping grounds as well as the formation of battalions and the selection of battalion commanders in sufficient time for the commanders to organize their respective Staffs.
The Insurance Committee has been hard at work in searching for the best possible coverage for the best possible price to satisfy the needs of the Corps. A special called Corps Meeting will be convened at Spotsylvania to discuss the findings.
These are but just some of the things that are being worked on at this time. There are other irons in the fire as well. There is the organizational planning under way on Gettysburg, Manassas, and Cedar Creek. There is also on-going communication with our Western comrades in the planning of the 150th Anniversary battles of the Western Theater.
As you can see, the Staff has been extremely busy during the "off season". I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank the Corps Staff, Brigadier General McCann and his Staff, and Brigadier General Sheppard and his Staff for their diligent work in making Longstreet's Corps the best!
As you take the field this season, take a moment to extend a well deserved "thanks" to the members of the Corps Staff, the Artillery Staff, and the Cavalry Staff for their "off season" work that makes your campaign season possible. I look forward to seeing you in the field at Endview and until then, I remain
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
Friday, March 18, 2011
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Celebrating the 150th Anniversary Events
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Corps;
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a most Joyous and Happy New Year! As we celebrate this Christmas season, let us all take a moment and offer a prayer for those serving in our Armed Forces, wherever they may be serving, that God will protect them, keeping them safe while in harm's way and bring them safely home to their families.
Exciting times lie ahead as we enter the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War! Our first engagement will come in April as we re-live the Battle of Big Bethel at Endview Plantation. Much
progress has been achieved working with the Endview staff in again making this a prime event. Tony Daniels of the USV has graciously accepted the Federal Command for Endview and there should be plenty of Federal troops present.
May will see us return to Spotsylvania for another good event. Additional work has been done to make this a premiere event as well. Tony Daniels has also accepted Federal Command for this event through the 150th. This will provide the basis for bringing in Federal troops.
July will see us re-create the first major land battle of the War Between the States with 1st Manassas. Major General Jake Jennette with the ANV will serve as the overall Confederate Commander for this event. You may have already heard of some issues with this event. Let me tell you what I know. There are some issues that primarily affect all cavalry. A parcel of land that was to be used for cavalry camps has now been pulled by the State Park Service. This leaves very little good ground for horses - lacking shade. Negotiations are underway to try and re-obtain the land. Unfortunately, until this situation is resolved, General Jennette has been forced to limit the number of cavalry horses to fifty due to the lack of shade. He has encouraged Longstreet's Corps cavalry to register ASAP as the first fifty registered are reserved. Right now, there are plenty of spots available. Should the land issue be resolved, then more registration will be allowed.
I want you to know that the Staff has been diligently working to improve services to the Corps. We now have the beginnings of a Provost that will be able to assist with directing people to the appropriate camps. As we enter the 150th Anniversary, a greater workload will be placed on the Staff. They are diligently preparing so they are able to provide the best possible service to you, the Corps.
As part of the preparations for the 150th Anniversary events, K.C. Meadows and I will be attending the Blue/Gray Alliance convention in St. Louis the weekend prior to the Corps meeting. We will be reporting at the Corps meeting.
I look forward to seeing you at the Corps Meeting in Winchester and until then, I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a most Joyous and Happy New Year! As we celebrate this Christmas season, let us all take a moment and offer a prayer for those serving in our Armed Forces, wherever they may be serving, that God will protect them, keeping them safe while in harm's way and bring them safely home to their families.
Exciting times lie ahead as we enter the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War! Our first engagement will come in April as we re-live the Battle of Big Bethel at Endview Plantation. Much
progress has been achieved working with the Endview staff in again making this a prime event. Tony Daniels of the USV has graciously accepted the Federal Command for Endview and there should be plenty of Federal troops present.
May will see us return to Spotsylvania for another good event. Additional work has been done to make this a premiere event as well. Tony Daniels has also accepted Federal Command for this event through the 150th. This will provide the basis for bringing in Federal troops.
July will see us re-create the first major land battle of the War Between the States with 1st Manassas. Major General Jake Jennette with the ANV will serve as the overall Confederate Commander for this event. You may have already heard of some issues with this event. Let me tell you what I know. There are some issues that primarily affect all cavalry. A parcel of land that was to be used for cavalry camps has now been pulled by the State Park Service. This leaves very little good ground for horses - lacking shade. Negotiations are underway to try and re-obtain the land. Unfortunately, until this situation is resolved, General Jennette has been forced to limit the number of cavalry horses to fifty due to the lack of shade. He has encouraged Longstreet's Corps cavalry to register ASAP as the first fifty registered are reserved. Right now, there are plenty of spots available. Should the land issue be resolved, then more registration will be allowed.
I want you to know that the Staff has been diligently working to improve services to the Corps. We now have the beginnings of a Provost that will be able to assist with directing people to the appropriate camps. As we enter the 150th Anniversary, a greater workload will be placed on the Staff. They are diligently preparing so they are able to provide the best possible service to you, the Corps.
As part of the preparations for the 150th Anniversary events, K.C. Meadows and I will be attending the Blue/Gray Alliance convention in St. Louis the weekend prior to the Corps meeting. We will be reporting at the Corps meeting.
I look forward to seeing you at the Corps Meeting in Winchester and until then, I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Season of Thanksgiving
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Corps;
Let me take a brief moment of your time to encourage each of you to enjoy a time of solitude to reflect on a season of Thanksgiving. Let us remember the joyous moments we have shared with those who have gone to their just reward. Let us be thankful for having known them. Let us be thankful for all the Good Lord has provided for us....friends and family, good health, the freedom to worship as we please, and many other things that each of us in our own heart feel grateful for. Let us also offer a prayer of Thanksgiving to those in our armed forces who place themselves in harms way so that we may enjoy the freedoms we have. I wish for all of you a rewarding and humbling Thanksgiving. I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
Let me take a brief moment of your time to encourage each of you to enjoy a time of solitude to reflect on a season of Thanksgiving. Let us remember the joyous moments we have shared with those who have gone to their just reward. Let us be thankful for having known them. Let us be thankful for all the Good Lord has provided for us....friends and family, good health, the freedom to worship as we please, and many other things that each of us in our own heart feel grateful for. Let us also offer a prayer of Thanksgiving to those in our armed forces who place themselves in harms way so that we may enjoy the freedoms we have. I wish for all of you a rewarding and humbling Thanksgiving. I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Cedar Creek
Gentlemen of the Corps;
I look forward to serving with you during the upcoming Cedar Creek campaign. As I and the Staff have been working on the battle scenarios with our Federal counterparts, one thing has become clear to me. As I have researched the accounts of the Cedar Creek campaign and the Fisher's Hill battle, our ancestors suffered some of the hardest defeats of the war.
Confederate forces under General Early retreated from Winchester following the Third Battle of Winchester. In September of 1864, Early's boys were swept off of Fisher's Hill. Then came the brief revenge of Cedar Creek!
Throughout my experiences in re-enacting, I have often read accounts of the battle we were about to re-enact. This has always put me in the frame of mind of our ancestors - what they must have felt at the time of the battle, their morale, etc. This has helped to allow me to "see the elephant" on more than one occasion. I would encourage you to place yourselves in 1864 for this event and I trust that you will come away with a more rewarding experience.
As you make plans to attend Cedar Creek, our Cavalry brothers have cordially invited all officers of all branches, all senior NCOs, and their spouses to a "pig roast" in the Cavalry camps on Saturday evening. To help defray the cost, they have requested a donation of $5. This will be an excellent opportunity to get to know our Cavalry brothers a little better.
I look forward to seeing you all at Cedar Creek and trust that you have safe travels to and from the event. Until then I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
I look forward to serving with you during the upcoming Cedar Creek campaign. As I and the Staff have been working on the battle scenarios with our Federal counterparts, one thing has become clear to me. As I have researched the accounts of the Cedar Creek campaign and the Fisher's Hill battle, our ancestors suffered some of the hardest defeats of the war.
Confederate forces under General Early retreated from Winchester following the Third Battle of Winchester. In September of 1864, Early's boys were swept off of Fisher's Hill. Then came the brief revenge of Cedar Creek!
Throughout my experiences in re-enacting, I have often read accounts of the battle we were about to re-enact. This has always put me in the frame of mind of our ancestors - what they must have felt at the time of the battle, their morale, etc. This has helped to allow me to "see the elephant" on more than one occasion. I would encourage you to place yourselves in 1864 for this event and I trust that you will come away with a more rewarding experience.
As you make plans to attend Cedar Creek, our Cavalry brothers have cordially invited all officers of all branches, all senior NCOs, and their spouses to a "pig roast" in the Cavalry camps on Saturday evening. To help defray the cost, they have requested a donation of $5. This will be an excellent opportunity to get to know our Cavalry brothers a little better.
I look forward to seeing you all at Cedar Creek and trust that you have safe travels to and from the event. Until then I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
Sunday, July 25, 2010
150th Anniversary Events
Gentlemen of the Corps;
As we work toward Cedar Creek, planning is already underway for the 150th anniversary events, beginning with next year's 1st Manassas. Details will be coming forth soon. The Blue Gray Alliance has been working hard to ensure that the events of the 150th anniversary will be memorable. A goal of the Blue Gray Alliance is to ensure that the reenactors are treated to a worthwhile experience while educating the world on the American Civil War. For updates on what the Blue-Gray Alliance is working on, visit the website at www.150thcivilwarevents.com.
As we approach the 150th anniversary events, I would ask each unit of the Corps to show support for the Corps and the Corps Staff by attending events - particularly the events where the Corps has overall command. I know many of our Corps units host local events and I encourage you to continue to do so. After all, our goal is to educate the public on the causes and conditions of the war and the education process begins in our own communities.
But let me also challenge you that as a member of Longstreet's Corps, I feel each unit also has a responsibility and a duty to support the Corps at events. As a company commander, I always felt an obligation to support the Corps commander and the Staff at events. As we prepare for the 150th events, I would hope that I, as your Corps commander, could count on your support for these events. I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
As we work toward Cedar Creek, planning is already underway for the 150th anniversary events, beginning with next year's 1st Manassas. Details will be coming forth soon. The Blue Gray Alliance has been working hard to ensure that the events of the 150th anniversary will be memorable. A goal of the Blue Gray Alliance is to ensure that the reenactors are treated to a worthwhile experience while educating the world on the American Civil War. For updates on what the Blue-Gray Alliance is working on, visit the website at www.150thcivilwarevents.com.
As we approach the 150th anniversary events, I would ask each unit of the Corps to show support for the Corps and the Corps Staff by attending events - particularly the events where the Corps has overall command. I know many of our Corps units host local events and I encourage you to continue to do so. After all, our goal is to educate the public on the causes and conditions of the war and the education process begins in our own communities.
But let me also challenge you that as a member of Longstreet's Corps, I feel each unit also has a responsibility and a duty to support the Corps at events. As a company commander, I always felt an obligation to support the Corps commander and the Staff at events. As we prepare for the 150th events, I would hope that I, as your Corps commander, could count on your support for these events. I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Future Endeavors
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Corps;
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of the Spotsylvania event. I am aware that there are areas in which we need to improve - Spotsylvania County is aware as well. We will be sitting down with the County in the near future to discuss those areas and to begin planning for future events.
We are in the process of operating a new website which should be up and running very shortly. The new website address is www.longstreetscorps.org and should be more user friendly. In addition to the Chief of Staff's blog and the Corps Commander's blog, there will be a blog for the Corps Adjutant and the Corps Sergeant Major.
The Gettysburg campaign is quickly upon us and promises to offer some good fighting. On Friday evening we will be engaged in the Brickyard fight which was the site of some of the fiercest fighting of the Gettysburg campaign. Saturday's fight will involve the action in the Wheatfield and Sunday's fight will portray the advance of Pettigrew's Division in Pickett's Charge. Monday has an engagement scheduled to portray the retreat from Gettysburg with rearguard action.
There are numerous ideas at work to build the Corps into a more unified organization. Like any organization who has visions of bettering themselves, it takes time and goals must be achieved one at a time. There are so many things that I and the Staff would like to do to help make the Corps the best that it can be and I trust that with your support and understanding, together we will!
This Corps has the most dedicated people who desire to truly do more than just Honor those who have gone before us. You strive to Honor them by totally giving your very best at every opportunity to understand the hardships they experienced and to relay that experience to the viewing public. It is indeed my Honor to be associated with such a dedicated group of the finest people I have had the privilege to know! Godspeed and I remain,
Your Most Humble servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of the Spotsylvania event. I am aware that there are areas in which we need to improve - Spotsylvania County is aware as well. We will be sitting down with the County in the near future to discuss those areas and to begin planning for future events.
We are in the process of operating a new website which should be up and running very shortly. The new website address is www.longstreetscorps.org and should be more user friendly. In addition to the Chief of Staff's blog and the Corps Commander's blog, there will be a blog for the Corps Adjutant and the Corps Sergeant Major.
The Gettysburg campaign is quickly upon us and promises to offer some good fighting. On Friday evening we will be engaged in the Brickyard fight which was the site of some of the fiercest fighting of the Gettysburg campaign. Saturday's fight will involve the action in the Wheatfield and Sunday's fight will portray the advance of Pettigrew's Division in Pickett's Charge. Monday has an engagement scheduled to portray the retreat from Gettysburg with rearguard action.
There are numerous ideas at work to build the Corps into a more unified organization. Like any organization who has visions of bettering themselves, it takes time and goals must be achieved one at a time. There are so many things that I and the Staff would like to do to help make the Corps the best that it can be and I trust that with your support and understanding, together we will!
This Corps has the most dedicated people who desire to truly do more than just Honor those who have gone before us. You strive to Honor them by totally giving your very best at every opportunity to understand the hardships they experienced and to relay that experience to the viewing public. It is indeed my Honor to be associated with such a dedicated group of the finest people I have had the privilege to know! Godspeed and I remain,
Your Most Humble servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Spotsylvania
Gentlemen and Ladies of the Corps;
I must ask that all Southern boys rise and prepare to defend our lands from Union occupation! Soon Yankee invaders will be marching on Southern soil. We need all available able bodied men to rise to the occasion!
As a reminder, the Spotsylvania event is to be held on May 21-23, 2010. Due to the size of the ground available, the numbers are limited to 175 per side. As of today, we (Longstreet's Corps) number 83 effectives. The County of Spotsylvania is hosting the event and with our suggestion, we have limited the participants to the Corps and ANV (portraying Federals) with the aid of the USV.
Contrary to what you may have heard, the event is NOT cancelled. The event has purposely kept this low key as they are new to organizing such an event and wish to ease into this type of task. They have been extremely good to work with and they plan on being with us for quite some time. They are committed to make the Spotsylvania event a premier event through the 150th Anniversary. As we speak, the Staff and I are in attendance with Spotsylvania County to fine tune the details. There is a Bluegrass Festival the weekend of the event within walking distance of our camps for your pleasure. There is still time to register. I would like very much to be able to maximize our numbers.
The Staff and I will be more than happy to answer any concerns that you may have. Please feel free to contact any of us. I look forward to seeing you all in Spotsylvania! Until then, I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
I must ask that all Southern boys rise and prepare to defend our lands from Union occupation! Soon Yankee invaders will be marching on Southern soil. We need all available able bodied men to rise to the occasion!
As a reminder, the Spotsylvania event is to be held on May 21-23, 2010. Due to the size of the ground available, the numbers are limited to 175 per side. As of today, we (Longstreet's Corps) number 83 effectives. The County of Spotsylvania is hosting the event and with our suggestion, we have limited the participants to the Corps and ANV (portraying Federals) with the aid of the USV.
Contrary to what you may have heard, the event is NOT cancelled. The event has purposely kept this low key as they are new to organizing such an event and wish to ease into this type of task. They have been extremely good to work with and they plan on being with us for quite some time. They are committed to make the Spotsylvania event a premier event through the 150th Anniversary. As we speak, the Staff and I are in attendance with Spotsylvania County to fine tune the details. There is a Bluegrass Festival the weekend of the event within walking distance of our camps for your pleasure. There is still time to register. I would like very much to be able to maximize our numbers.
The Staff and I will be more than happy to answer any concerns that you may have. Please feel free to contact any of us. I look forward to seeing you all in Spotsylvania! Until then, I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant,
Maj. Gen'l. D. H. Cornett
Longstreet's Corps
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