From: alternate email
Subject: Commander's Call, 5 Nov 1861
To: Marcus Devine; Sterling Price; jwest1@mindspring.com
Cc: Matt Young; Mark Sampson; crovo@geocities.com; sandersj@pm-systems.com
Date: Matt Young; Mark Sampson; crovo@geocities.com; sandersj@pm-systems.com


Headquarters
Confederate States Army
123 Howard Avenue
Montgomery, Alabama

Gentlemen,

This meeting has long been overdue.  I have a dozen items that should in
the agenda but due to demands on your time, I will limit my guidance to
the top five areas.

Item#1 {November Reinforcements}
The reinforcements for November are on the ground.  They now belong to
the Army and the Theaters where they have been allocated by the SecWar. 
No commander at Theater level should have any doubt what new regiments
belong to him.  If you do, contact me or the SecWar immediately.  

These units must move on Friday, 7 Nov.  The coordination of this
movement is your responsibility.  Make sure your movement orders are
published and in the hands of the executers no later than Thursday, 6
Nov.  Please notify this headquarters when this action is completed (copy
the SecWar).

Item#2 {Strategic Priorities}
The Theater Commander is the position that is charged with the execution
of the strategic plan (yes, there is one).  Because two of you are newly
appointed to your positions, I will re-iterate the current strategic
goals.
 - To force the initial battles of the war to occur outside the borders
of the Confederacy proper;
-  Initiate offensive action to make the Union reactive to our plans not
vice versa;
-  Maintain control of the cities of the 5 largest states in the CSA for
resources: Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama;
-  To seize control of the three strategic regions which offer the
quickest invasion routes for the Union into the Confederacy: western
Maryland, Cairo IL, central Kentucky;
-  Cause dispersion of Union forces in the Western Theater to create
opportunities for the seizure of Union cities.

Item#3 {Operational Security}
There have been several serious breaches of handling of campaign plans
and Theater field orders.  I have seen ICQ transcripts where Union corps
commanders are referencing our plans and objectives.  There has been a
compromise of the Central Theater's original campaign caused by its
posting to an open Web site which became known to the Unionists faster
than it did for the tactical commanders it was designed for.  In a recent
broadcast message sent out to all Confederate players concerning the
breach of the Imageplex technology there were Union players on the
addressee list !  My position on this issue should be clear to all of
you. This lack of control of published plans is extremely sloppy even
given the game environment CWOL operates in. It will stop !  We have been
lucky. The Unionists have not realized how good their intel was and
actually lost the window of opportunity in some cases due to arguements
on what certain terms meant.  Given the rise of veteran commanders to the
top of most Union forces, we will not continue to benefit due to their
ineffeciency.  Control all plans & orders issued by this HQ closely. 
Watch the dissemination and control of your own long range plans.

Item#4 {Division Commanders}
The key to success in the upcoming phase of the war will be the tactical
proficiency of our collective forces in the city squares being fought
over.  The key player here will be the division commander in charge.  We
have a number of new Div Cdrs (new to BLADD) who are, or shortly will be,
getting their baptism of fire.  We, as senior commanders or as the
"senior brigadier" in a subordinate role, need to do what we can to
mentor these Cdrs along.  Be tolerate of "teething" mistakes but also be
aware  of those Cdrs who may be out of their element.  There is no shame
in being a solid brigade commander in the play of CWOL.  Also, as these
commanders grow in your organizations, if you are lucky enough to have a
surplus of proficient division commanders, identify these individuals to
the War Dept so we can "spread the wealth."

Item#5 (Theater Order of Battle) 
I am in receipt of what I believe to be the "ground truth" order of
battle for each of your theaters.  Please review my listing of your OB
thru division level below and advise me of its accuracy:

Eastern Theater:
Army of Northern Virginia (LtG Crovo)
1st Corps (LtG Crovo)
Green's "Irish" Division (MG Pat Green)
Mahar's Division (MG Ike Mahar)
Wiebe's Division (MG "Renegade" Wiebe)
2d Corps (LtG Carson)
4th "Light" Division (MG Delmas Costin)
5th "North State" Division (LtG V. Carson)
Army of the Interior (OPCON) (Gen Sampson)
41st Division (Gen J. West)
CSA "Regular" Division (Gen M. Sampson)

Army of West Virginia (Gen M. Young)
Carson's Division (LtG V. Carson)
Harvey's Division (MG Harvey)

4th Corps (UTA) (LtG Ahearn)
30th Div (LtG Ahearn)
31st Div (MG Sweeney)
32d Div (Gen West)


Central Theater:
Clowdus Corps (LtG Clowdus)
Clowdus Div (LtG Clowdus)
Janoda's Div (BG Janoda)
Edwards' Div (BG Edwards)

Nelson's Corps (MG Nelson)
Wakefield's Div (MG Wakefield)
Nelson's Div (BG Nelson)

Brewer's Corps (MG Brewer)
Dunaway's Div (BG Dunaway)
Justice's Div (MG Justice)

Wynn's Reserves (BG Gray)


Western Theater:
IX Corps (Army of Arkansas) (LtG Cleveland)
no divisions identified

X Corps (Army of Missouri)(LtG Brady)
Brady's Div (LtG Brady)
Vannada's Div (BG Vannada)

XI Corps (Army of Texas)(LtG Whaley)
no divisions identified


Acknowledge this message upon receipt.
Advise his HQ and SecWar upon compliance with Item #1.


JJ Sanders, Gen
Chief of Staff
Confederate States Army