HINDQUARTERS

GRAND ARMY OF THE CUSSEWAGO

January 19th A.D. 2022

 

Warning Order No. 3

 

1. Greetings to all members of our Corps d’Elite. Although the covid-19 pandemic that caused us to cancel campaigns in 2020 and 2021 is not yet over, I am still hoping that we may be able to campaign together again in 2022. The tentative dates for the campaign are 31 March-3 April A.D. 2022. As originally planned for 2020, the 2022 Campaign will be “The Bristoe Station-Rappahannock Station-Mine Run Campaign of October and November 1863”.  
2. Our campaign co-directors for the 2022 Campaign will be Jim Ballou, Ben Brockenbrough, and Rob Freis. Rob, Jim, and Ben led this campaign for the Army of the Roanoke several years ago, but will expand the scope of the campaign for us in 2022. At this year’s campaign the co-directors will be ably assisted by others members of the Corps d’Elite who are steeped in the lore of the Civil War.
3. If we are able to campaign again this year, this 2022 campaign will be the 24th campaign of the GAC and the 69^th consecutive campaign of the Army of the Cussewago (AoC)-GAC. During these past 26 years of the GAC we’ve mourned the loss of many of our older members, but we’ve also celebrated the enlistment of newer members who have joined our ranks.  We kept the promise we made 24 years ago to Professor Jay Luvaas and the members of the old Army of the Cussewago to keep his Army and our fellowship vibrant and strong.
4. Fellow trampers, it is vitally important for the continued life and vibrancy of the GAC that those of our members who have not previously given presentations or participated actively in our GAC campaigns volunteer to do so now. We need more presenters. We need more assistant campaign directors. We need more campaign directors. And finally, we need more members who will be willing to take positions of leadership as officers in our Grand Army.
5. If we can campaign again this Spring, Jim, Ben, and Rob will show you sites that will really help to make the battles at the end of 1863 in the East come alive. At the end of the campaign, you will understand why Abraham Lincoln had lost confidence in George Meade’s leadership of the Army of the Potomac and was looking for a new general-in-chief who could and would defeat Marse Robert and his Army of Northern Virginia.
6. The “lieu de rassemblement” will be the Best Western Culpeper Inn, 791 Madison Rd, Culpeper, VA 22701. The phone number to make reservations is (540)-825-1253. We have reserved  a block of rooms under the name “Grand Army of the Cussewago”. The suspense date for making reservations to be in the block is 28 February, although the hotel will continue to take reservations after that date if rooms are available. Please make your reservations before 28 February. You can always cancel your reservation if we have to call off the trip.  
7. Please notify Adjutant Nestlerode and me of any guests that you would like to bring to this year’s campaign, especially younger guests, such as sons, sons-in-law, grandsons, or nephews age 18 or older.
8. In one month, the HQ Staff will decide either to go ahead with the campaign, cancel the campaign, or try to postpone the campaign if other dates can be arranged with the hotel.  General Order No. 1 for the campaign with reading list and other instructions will be issued soon after we make that decision.  
9. May all y’all be warm, comfortable, and at peace in your winter quarters during this holiday season. Please keep all of our old comrades who can no longer campaign with us in your thoughts and prayers, especially our former Commanding General, Jay Luvaas, and all of our former comrades who have crossed over the river to tramp beside him again.

 

Your obedient servant,

Michael J. Brennan, M.D.

Surgeon, A.O.C.

Commanding