Roger has summarized the early setup quite accurately. Thank you Roger for remembering. Me and Denny spent many phone calls and emails setting up the CSA side of the club rules. We organized the CSA as such and found that the Union side were not being organized. To be fair we were moving at a fast rate and the Union side did not have a chance to do so(sounds historical). We decided to make the setup and rules encompass both sides as we needed opponents [:)][:)]to make this work. It was decided to form the ACWGC and ask the Union side to join. They did so and this created the ACWGC with 2 sides. Basic premises were to provide points for both the winner and loser (to get away from the ladder clubs), provide for member contributions and interactions by setting up a military format that would engage a lot of people within a military structure, and allow members to create their own web pages and forums. This was a selfish reason, I just did not want to have to do all this stuff myself. [:)] By decentralizing I thought it would allow for a continuity if one or more 'founders' left.
I am still around after 12 years+ and am currently involved in maintaining the club main page and other acwgc.ch web pages as well as the administrator in this forum MDT. I am not gaming as much but do so on an occasion.
There is a great history of the early years, as Roger mentioned, by going to the Newsletter. I tried to convey the spirit of the club at the time. They are a little disjointed but you can gleam a little of the who and what.
http://www.wargame.ch/wc/acw/ACWGC_Newsletter.htm
<b>The very first one is below.</b>
Brings back a lot of memories.
June 28, 1997
From CSA / USA Headquarters:
To: all Commissioned officers
Please review new club promotion system in CSA / USA Officer Ranks, Positions and Duties, Promotion system.
CSA/USA ACW HQ
Star & Banner
Early Morning Edition Washington March 4, 1861
Lincoln Is Inaugurated
President Issues Grave Warning
to
Southern Secessionists
Senator Stephen A. Douglas attends chilly overcast morning ceremonies Pledge of Non-Interference with Southern Slavery! Sharpshooters posted at Capitol to guard against assassination by Southern Sympathizers
In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you. You can have no conflict, without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to 'preserve, protect, and defend' it.
-- Abraham Lincoln
Charleston --
Major Anderson has declared his position at Sumter to be "nearly hopeless". Southerners sink several old hulks in harbor's main channel to thwart Federal efforts to relieve the all but starving garrison now down to ever dwindling rations.
Urgent "woe-filled" letter arrived early this morning urgently requesting 20,000 more federal troops to come to the defense of the isolated and all but forsaken fort in the harbor. If aid in the form of food and men did not arrive soon, Anderson's letter requested that his garrison be permitted to evacuate the claustrophobic confines of the damp, flea infested walled prison. Opposition by William Seward to support determined relief efforts came as a bitter disappointment to the president this wee, who had heretofore appointed him as a "fence mending gesture to the radical Eastern Republicans", and who, at least on the surface, seems more hawkishly determined to set policy towards the secessionists than the president, himself.
The long white haired secessionist, professional agitator, and powder keg charged crusader, Edmund Ruffin, 67, arrived yesterday to inspect the seven 10 inch mortars and two 42 pounders at nearby Fort Johnson.
"As old as I am, I have come here to join you in [th'] lead!"
Ruffin doubtless was aware that the dapper French brigadier from Louisiana, Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, was currently in town conducting militia training of some 6000 cocked, ready and fervor bitten rebels who heretofore more loosely resembled a trained if slightly intemperate mob.
One Loyal Unionist was reported foolishly chiding,
"South Carolina is too small for a republic and too big for a lunatic asylum!"
Richmond --
The CSA Cabinet today authorized power to the president to disapprove of any bills presented in the US Congress that did not otherwise insure the "sovereign and independent character" of each state in the union.
The Honorable Senator D. Shoeless Richard of Kentucky today declared that if elected for another 6 year term, he could keep his last campaign promise to provide for a new and most modernly equipped shoe production factory that would guarantee clogs for every hell bent rebel boy, sweet as molasses gray clad girl, and dutifully enlisted kepi hatted volunteer.
June 29, 1997 The following USA positions are available. U.S.A. THEATRE COMMANDERS One Position as a Union Theater Command (TC) U.S.A. CABINET MEMBERS WASHINGTON 2 Cabinet positions Any enterprising Union sympathizer can apply for the above positions. All are welcome
Announcement **First Bull Run Multi game Volunteers requested, 4 CSA, 4 USA**
The Southern 4 man team has been completed with volunteers. Union volunteers are immediately required.
May 30, 1861
Head Quarters, Virginia Forces,
STAUNTON, VA.
____________________________________________________________________
MEN OF VIRGINIA, TO THE RESCUE!
____________________________________________________________________
Your soil has been invaded by your abolition foes, and we call upon you to rally at once, and drive them back. We want Volunteers to march immediately to Grafton and report for duty. Come One! Come ALL! and render the service due to your state and Country. Fly to arms, and succor your brave brothers who are now in the field.
The volunteers from the Counties of Pendleton, Highland, Bath, Allghany, Monroe, Mercer, and other Counties convenient to that point, will immediately organize and report at Monterey, in Highland County, where they will join the Companies from Valley, Marching to Grafton. The Volunteers, as soon as they report at the above points, will be furnished with arms, rations, &c.,&c,.
Action ! Action ! should be our rallying motto, and the sentiment of Virginia's inspired Orator, " Give me liberty or give me Death." animate every loyal son of the Old Dominion! Let us drive back the invading foot of a brutal and desperate foe, or leave a record to posterity that we died bravely defending our homes and firesides,-the honor of our wives and daughters,- and the sacred graves of our ancestors !
[Done by Authority.]
* M. G. HARMAN, Maj. Commd'g
at Staunton.
*J.M. HECK, Lt. Col., Va. Vol.
*R.E. COWAN, Maj. Va. Vol.
*Not members, historical figures I think
Announcement **First Bull Run Multi game Volunteers requested, 4 CSA, 4 USA**
Volunteers, please present yourself to: Pierre
Announcement:
April 10, 1861
The USA Cabinet in Richmond, VA -
1) Colonel Pierre Desruisseaux - GoA, CSA
2) Field Lt. Art Grey Rider Ozols, CSA
3) Field Lt. Shoeless Richard, CSA
The newly formed CSA Cabinet was approved, this day, April 11, 1861,
to chair two [civilian, i.e.., "Richmond"] representatives along with
the CSA General of the Army [military representative]
a) serve to approve promotions,
b) settle [game] issue questions,
c) MP [multi+play] rules interpretations,
d) permit forum for officer grievances.
c) serve counter weight to possible military "loose
cannons"
Subject: Sale on Bull Run
Computer City is offering BGR for 29:99. Regular 39:99 with instant
10 bucks
off. Spread the word.
Saturday, June 07, 1997 9:09 AM
To:
drichard@gladstone.uoregon.edu
Subject: Re: FW: New CSA Panel Appointments!
I approve the appointment of Pierre Desruisseaux, General of the
Army for
our Confederacy
Lt. Art Grey Rider Ozols
Art,
That is excellent news. Our newly formed CSA Cabinet is now
complete. I just realized that Bill Wegenseller is away until the
9th. Given that our original Panel was designed to be filled by two
members and given your acceptance of honored position this day, the
appointment of Pierre Desruisseaux to become the Confederacy's
General of the Army (GoA) with privileged rank of colonel is now
official.
CSA Cabinet
Colonel Pierre Desruisseaux, CSA
Field Lt. Shoeless, CSA
Lt. Art Grey Rider Ozols, CSA
Best Regards,
General Pierre D.