Special Recognition of General Hartwig

[Joe Meyer]

Gentlemen of the Army of the Tennessee,

General Randy Hartwig has announced to me his desire to step down as commander of the XV Corps, citing an increasing, personal work load that would prevent him from fulfilling his command duties in the fashion he believes necessary. The priorities of real life have and will always impact upon the time we all have available to pursue our club activities, and it is certainly with no sense of dissastisfaction that I regard General Hartwig's reasons for his withdrawal.

Indeed, his command of the XV Corps for these past sixteen months has been both solid and timely, and I should be completely unappreciative if I did not state that the Army of the Tennessee was in great need of an officer of his stature during the reorganisation process. Randy stepped in to take command of an entirely rebuilt corps command at a time when a solid, dependable commander was sorely needed, and he performed his duties consistently and with much personal pride. It may be remembered by the longer-termed officers of this army that General Hartwig was an original member of the Army of the Ohio, and that he rose to eventually command the IX Corps of that field army. He was also the Commandant of the Union Army War College, a position he held between July, 2008 and April, 2010. The Army of the Tennessee was extremely fortunate in benefiting from his services as the XV Corps Commander.

Happily, General Hartwig will still maintain his association with the AotT and the XV Corps, readily accepting command of the 3rd Brigade, Third (1st) Cavalry, effective this date. But I should not want him leaving his former post without accepting from me both my personal and public gratitude for the job he has contributed and for the timely advices and consultations he has made with me over that period of time. And in recognition of the totality of that service I am pleased to present to him the Outstanding Service Medal.



A copy of this dispatch has been posted this date within the Old Abe Tavern and Parade Ground. Please join me there at your convenience to salute General Hartwig.

Command of the XV Corps will remain vacant until announcement is made by the new Army Commander, Major General Dan Peterjohn, after the 1st of April.

I am, in all respects, courteously yours,

[Pony Soldier]

Well Done, General Hartwig! Thank you for your long service!

v/r

Dan Peterjohn
Major General, USV
Army of the Tennessee
Chief of Staff

[J. Fitch]

Very Well Done,

When I First joined the Army of the Ohio General Hartwig was my Division Commander, and was so for quite a long time. He then became my Corps Commander, and then again my Corps Commander here.

Congrats General for a Job well done, and a recognition well deserved.

[The_General]

Thank you for your service, General Hartwig. My 2nd Brigade salutes you!

[J. Sheffield]

My compliments General hartwig. Thank you for all you have done for the club
and I hope you have continued success with your new brigade. <SALUTE>

[Stefan Reuter]

Well done General Hartwig. It was a pleasure and honor to serve under your command, The 2nd Division salute you!

[R. Matthews]

Congratulations General


Colonel Ray Matthews
Third (First) Cavalry Division, XV Corps,
Army of the Tennessee

[rehartwig]

Gentlemen,

My thanks to you for all your kind words. It has been an honor and a privelege to serve as your Corps Commander. I started at West Point, now the Union Military Academy, back in the winter of 2003. I remember it took a long time to make Colonel and get a division command. I have had a Corps command since the summer of 2007, first the IXth in the old AoO and then the XVth in the reorganized AoT and during that time commanded the Union War College. Quite the ride, and I couldn't have done it without you, the Corps.

As I ride into a period of reorganization and regrouping myself, my thoughts went to the speech by Gen. Douglas MacArthur's.

In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, Honor, Country.

Today marks my final roll call with you. But I want you to know that when I cross the river, my last conscious thoughts will be of the Corps, and the Corps, and the Corps.

This is not my final roll call nor I am I quite ready to cross the river yet, but certainly the club has played a part of my life these last 8 years. I know not what the futures will bring us, but I want to thank you for the memories and good times that we have experienced together.

Sincerely,