Western Thunder Tournament Rolling Our Way

[Joe Meyer]

I have recently paid a visit to the Woodin Injun Tavern of the Union Army of the Cumberland, wherein I extolled to our western compatriots the virtues of joining us in turning aside the blusters of the Rebel Armies of Alabama and Mississippi. I have repeated that message for your benefit here at the Old Abe Tavern.

"Gentlemen of the Army of the Cumberland,

"It has been only seven months since I left this army to become Chief of Staff to General-in-Chief D. S. Walter and then, subsequently, Commander of the Union Army of the Tennessee. I return to the old Woodin Injun Tavern now on a matter of great import as the pace of our war in the west has assumed new dimensions and as I am here to both ask your help and pledge our assistance!

"The Rebel Armies of Alabama and Mississippi have risen up to challenge both of our armies in a monumental tournament, the first of its kind. Dubbed Western Thunder, it bodes to be one of the most wide open undertakings of its kind, one that holds the seeds for both heated and friendly competition for anyone of any skill or pursuasion in games, but all conducted with a distinctively western flavor to it!

"The Rebels are, as you might expect, already making great noise about their intentions of dominating the fields; giving us, they say, reason to stay out of it! But they are taunting us, too, waving the spectre of our own demurrage and refusal to play in our faces!

"I have this date sent in my own registration and preference list to your own, good Brig. Gen. Shaw, indicating my personal willingness to meet those people in whatever venue and in whatever manner they choose. I have personally urged every officer within the Army of the Tennessee to do the same, and I believe that we will send a goodly number of our own ranks against them. General Riggs and I have overseen the development of this tournament and believe it to be not only a unique individual opportunity and experience, but a glittering potential for our two armies to add another page to the glory of the Union Army's Western Theater. I speak also for one who is now conducting his own battle in recovering from the trauma of a recent heart attack, who would be leading both of our armies into heated action and glory if he could, your own General Lars Wistedt, our present Western Theater Commander.

"There shortly upon the Western Thunder fields will our two armies stand together, joining strengths and skills in turning aside this notion that the West belongs to the South. There will you witness and taste the hard fought victories and defeats that will serve to both vanquish and exhaust even the most exhalted of our opponents. There you will have the satisfaction of stepping forward with your brother officers and quieting these outlandish pronouncements and babblings of our "Southern Brethren." Together the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of the Tennessee will wreak such a terrible price upon the Rebel ranks that they will remember it for years after we are all gone! And the bards will tell of the time that the XV and XVI Corps guided to the right of the XIV and XX Corps as the two armies rolled south against the Rebeldom of the West."

[sstiles]

General Meyer Sir

Your speech has brought tears to my eyes! What is this talk of bards?
Quite simply we need Yank cannon fodder! Where are y'all?
Gen McOmish's Boys are on the march.
See you at Western Thunder soon.

Col Stewart Stiles
Chief of Staff Western Theater
5 Brig 3 Div
I Corps
AotM

[cameronm]

Gents the Armies of the CSA Western Command are now only 8 miles from Bowling Green KY. Not a bule coat in site. We shall spend the next few days here sharpening our swords and wit, prior to our advance on Chicargo. Ooops I might have given away our objective. Col Stiles wrap these three fine cigars in this order for General Hooper (AC AotM) and send then on.

Maj Gen Cam McOmish
Commander Western Theater
CSA

[Joe Meyer]

There, you see! There is no stopping these people until we shame them unmercifully upon the battlefield! They will continue to saunter in through our doors, spouting off their lips with suggestive and demeaning barbs, totally unafraid of the consequences and immensely enjoying themselves in the process. Let us rise up, then, and shame them!

[S_Trauth]

You won't be setting a foot north of I-70 -you can keep all of those Down State clowns all you want -and St Louis -it's yours. . . but you are not getting anything else... you can take that to the bank.

[babb35]

Enough talk. Let's pop smoke and draw fire! Cold Steel!

[cameronm]

Col Stiles is that the I-70 I see in the distance. Yes it is, my, we will have to be careful as it is the line of death or some such. Is that Col Trauth I can see holding up some sort of sign - it says "Sod off CSA Weirdos" Not very friendly is it Col Stiles - give him a round of canister - at the rush

Maj Gen Cam McOmish
CWT
CSA

[S_Trauth]

Considering there is a Cairo map and some useless scrub on the north side of the Ohio River on the Paducah map -it isn't like it is remotely possible in any event.