A note from General Dolive.
Please forward to staff
and Brigade Commanders
Gentlemen,
The Corinth event
fast approaches. I would ask one last time that you contact your men and
verify their attendance. Gasoline prices are falling each day and the
latest update had regular for $2.79 in Corinth proper. The site is in
good shape and ready for all of us.
And once again rumors at recent
events in the Midwest mentioned the Corinth event cancelled. IT IS
NOT! We now have 650 Federals registered and hopefully 200 to 250
galvanized joining us. That puts us about 100 under our Franklin numbers.
So don't let the rumor mongers and chicken littles get the best of
you.
Since the reality is that individual Brigades are registering
from 80 to 120 men each (GLB excepted) then the Division will actually function
as a Brigade with 4 infantry battalions, 1 cavalry battalion and 1 artillery
battalion. At this time no ad hoc brigades are envisioned, and we will
function as one large brigade. Please adjust ranks accordingly.
However, we will still use the terms Division and Brigades as to not confuse the
issue.
The Brigades (battalions) will be numbered as
follows:
1. Army of the Pacific - 1st bttn.
2. Western Bde. -
2nd bttn.
3. Frontier Bde. - 3rd bttn.
4. King's Bde. - 4th bttn.
5.
Cavalry Bde. - Cavalry bttn.
6. Artillery Reserve - Artillery
bttn.
And if any unit adds more men in the next week please inform
HQ!
The safety regs are to be published as a Special Order.
Those troops to be positioned in Robinette, or in areas that encounter a
breakthrough need to attend a safety briefing. The Division Safety
Officer/AIG, Mark Hernbroth, will be responsible for presenting this session.
He, the Provost and myself are the only officers that can shut down a
company, battalion, brigade, or the Division for safety reasons. Part of
this is for insurance purposes and to demonstrate that there are those assigned
the responsibility for safety issues.
Please explain to your
officers that if Captains Hernbroth or Hoskins give orders to shut down it IS an
emergency situation. If time permits they are instructed to go though the
chain of command, however sometimes this is not and has not been possible.
That said, as each of you know in the end we are all responsible for the
safety of the men.
My intention is to hold Division Officer calls
to a minimum. That said, I request only Brigade Commanders attend these
meetings. We don't need the overabundance of officers at these meetings.
Also, the fewer we have; the quicker these meetings will proceed.
At Franklin there was confusion from too many involved at the Sunday morning
officer's call.
SCENARIOS: Brief descriptions for the
scenarios are as follows:
Friday afternoon - The Battle of
Iuka.
The Division will march from the main camp at
approximately 3:30 p.m. After about a 1 mile march down the "Corinth"
road we will engage Confederate forces. The Cavalry will scout and
proceed this advance. Units will be fed into the fight one by one.
We will have mounted artillery in support, but at the end of the scenario these
galvanized guns will be captured. We will be forced back, but due to
"impending darkness" the Confederates will disengage. The troops
remaining at the site will go into bivouac. The other units will return
to main camp. Colonel dal Bello will be senior officer in charge of the
units at the remote site.
Evening skirmishing may take place between the
forces at the remote site, but no action is to take place between midnight and 4
am.
Original units being portrayed in this action include: 4th MN,
48th IND, 5th Iowa, 10th Iowa, and 3rd Mich Cav.
Saturday
morning - Retreat
The remote forces will begin the march to the
main camp sometime between 7:30 and 9 am. The march will be a rear guard
action down the Corinth Road. Artillery support and the infantry at the
battery site will move up in support once the remote forces enter the main
battlefield. Periodic skirmishes between forces may
ensue.
Saturday afternoon - Battery Powell
The
Union forces will occupy the line fronted by the redoubt. Only artillery
will be inside the actual battery, with other units posted on the flanks.
Skirmishers will advance well forward of the battery to locate the enemy and
delay their progress. The Confederate forces will advance. Their
right flank will be halted, but their left flank will push the Federal line
back. The battery redoubt will be evacuated and overrun. The
Federal line will withdraw to the creek position (outskirts of Corinth), reform,
and halt the Confederate advance. Cavalry will be dismounted for this
action.
Original units being portrayed in this action include: The
Union Bde, 2nd Iowa, 52nd ILL, 80th Ohio, 16th Iowa, 6th WI Art., 12th WI Art.,
and 1st MO Art.
Sunday morning - Cavalry
reconnaissance
Sunday afternoon - Battery
Robinette
The Union forces will occupy the line fronted by the
redoubt. Artillery and a the 1st US Infantry(Frontier Bde), representing
the original 1st US Infantry will be in the redoubt. The Confederates
will advance piecemeal. The battery will be overwhelmed by units
portraying the 2nd TX. Both the 1st US and other units will counterattack
and retake the battery. The Union line will hold and the Confederates
will retreat. Cavalry will be dismounted for this action, but will mount
after battery is retaken and pursue retreating Confederate
forces.
Original units being portrayed in this action include: 1st
US, 63rd Ohio, 27th Ohio, 47th Ill, 26th ILL, and 8th WI Art., 1st US Heavy Art,
10th Ohio Art., and 3rd Mich. Cav.
Units have not been assigned to
their positions as of this writing. When numbers are finalized
assignments will be made. However, for the Battery Robinette scenario,
the 1st US will be located in the battery and the FB to their right.
Scenarios will be available Thursday evening.
Other
Information:
Flags - HQ will fly a 34 star National Flag.
There were no HQ flags for Brigades at this time. National and
Regimental Flags, 1 stand per battalion, are appropriate. Please no
multiple flags in the infantry and cavalry camps after noon on
Friday.
Special Formations - There will be a Review of the Cavalry
Brigade at 11 am Sunday morning.
Orders - We will try to
communicate in camp by written order. In the field we will use written
orders, verbal orders by courier and bugles.
Music - Where possible
bugles will be used to move formations. Please see previous information
for music requirements. Please no music prior to Division sounding
reveille, and no music after Division sounding tattoo.
Utilizing
the Chain - If you have problems please do your best to resolve them on the
battalion/brigade level. However, if the problem needs a higher level
involved, please bring them to Division. That does not mean bring them
directly to the Commanding General. Each officer on staff has his area of
expertise and these questions should be brought to that officer. If in
doubt, contact the Chief of Staff: LtC. Michael Zimmer. This doesn't mean
that I don't care, but we are representing a military organization. Let's
try to adhere to that impression.
If you have questions, please let
myself or staff know ASAP. I look forward to seeing all of you
soon.
YOS,
Mark
Mark Dolive
1st Federal
Division
This page last updated on January 23, 2006.