American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

ACWGC Forums

* ACWGC    * Dpt. of Records (DoR)    *Club Recruiting Office     ACWGC Memorial

* CSA HQ    * VMI   * Join CSA    

* Union HQ   * UMA   * Join Union    

CSA Armies:   ANV   AoT

Union Armies:   AotP    AotT

Link Express

Club Forums:     NWC    CCC     Home Pages:     NWC    CCC    ACWGC
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 2:55 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:23 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:20 pm
Posts: 1365
Location: USA
(Copy of the posting made this date within the Parade Ground & Mess Tent of the Union Army Headquarters Forum and the Old Abe Tavern and Parade Ground of the Eagle's Perch Forum.)

Image

Upon the occasion of his retirement from active service with the ACWGC Union Army, Major General McClellan is presented with the Union Army of the Tennessee Service Medal and Ribbon and the Union Army's Honorable Service Medal.

ImageImage

Major General Gary W. McClellan has, sadly, announced his desire to retire from active service as an officer of ACWGC Union Army, citing increasing demands upon his time. In a time when it is more frequently the result of an officer simply disappearing from the rolls without any word, it is, at least, a more satisfying convention to pay tribute, however small, whenever an officer can and does retain the decorum of making a proper announcement of his decision.

According to the ACWGC Department of Records, Gary McClellan’s earliest recorded game was begun in November of 2001. It was the first of more than 90 such contests that he would play over the next eleven years as an officer of the ACWGC Union Army! As a member of the former Union Army of the Ohio, Gary displayed a steady, constant activity to his membership, frequently posting within the Mason Dixon Tavern and offering his thoughts on a great diversity of subjects. This was especially so whenever the topic pertained to the future of the club or when a new rule was in consideration for adoption.

Nor was Gary hesitant when it came to making a lasting contribution to the welfare of the Union Army on the electronic battlefields. In 2003 he won the II War College Prize for his HPS-related article, Managing Enemy Defensive Fire in HPS Civil War Games, which he wrote as a colonel. At a time when many officers were still struggling with the inherent differences between the Battleground and HPS engines, Gary’s advises on HPS defensive fire provided a realistic perspective on the game mechanics. “Taking meaningless losses is never a good thing,” he wrote, “and there are times that defensive fire can be very painful (moving around in front of enemy cannon especially), but be realistic. Defensive fire is ½ strength, and if the enemy unit is in D status, then it's ½ of ½, or ¼ of normal firepower. Even a 500 man infantry battalion isn't going to hurt you too badly if it's firing at ¼ of its normal firepower. Just bear it as the cost of doing business.”

Gary was promoted to Brigadier General in March, 2005. He took command of the First Division, XXIII Corps, Army of the Ohio in November of that same year, and directed that unit’s fortunes for the next four years, winning his major generalcy in the process! When, in December of 2009, the Army of the Ohio was de-activated and melded within the present Army of the Tennessee, Major General McClellan candidly declined assuming a continuing command role, citing a great number of pressing, personal commitments that would prevent him from doing proper justice to the responsibilities. He thereafter took command of the 6th Artillery Brigade, Second Division, XV Corps and became a steady, veteran member of the “Old Reliable” Division.

He once very gently but characteristically chastised the club membership within the Mason Dixon Tavern for confusing his name with that of George Brinton McClellan. “I am G. W. McClellan,” he quipped, “not G. B. McClellan!”

Major General McClellan’s recent expression of his desire for retirement from active service with the ACWGC Union Army is, of course, met with the same sadness and regret which must attend the similar retirements of any of its long-termed, veteran officers. I am sure that all of you will joined me in wishing Gary the best of fortunes in his time away from us, and that he will retain both the good memories and affections of the American Civil War Game Club.

_________________
General Jos. C. Meyer, ACWGC
Union Army Chief of Staff
Commander, Army of the Shenandoah
Commander, Army of the Tennessee
(2011-2014 UA CoA/GinC)


Image


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:12 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 22, 2001 4:51 pm
Posts: 3524
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Another sad day for the club.

I have know Gary for some time and he has always been a great asset to the Union and the club.

_________________
General Ernie Sands
President ACWGC -Sept 2015- Dec 2020
7th Brigade, 1st Division, XVI Corps, AoT
ACWGC Records Site Admin

"If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there."


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 2:56 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 22, 2001 10:10 pm
Posts: 1035
Location: USA
Had the pleasure of meeting Gary in person as well as talking by email. It's always sad to see a friend leave the club but unfortunately real life sometimes forces us to make choices.

Good luck Gary, hopefully you will return to the ranks sometime in the future. In the meantime my prayers and best wishes to you and yours.

_________________
Gen. Ken Miller

Image

The McKeesport Union Guard

3/1/II
AotP


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:01 pm 
Best wishes, sir!


Top
  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:43 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:52 am
Posts: 2469
Location:
A sad day to see Gary go. A hallmark of the Club for sure....you will be missed! :)

_________________
General Scott Ludwig
4/II/ANV


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:11 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:20 pm
Posts: 1365
Location: USA
As a postscript to Gary's retirement, you may now find his name among all those other honorably retired of the AotO and AotT at http://www.unioneaglesonline.com/AotT-Retired.htm.

Gary was kind enough to write me upon request and leave these following thoughts.

"Yes, the records are correct, I'm 45 years old, and am indeed a Pastor.
"As to how I entered the ACWGC, I was one of those who came in through one of the sister clubs. I don't recall all the details at this point, but I first joined the NWC, and then crossed over shortly thereafter.
"I think the main advice I can give from my tenure is to always be careful about the number of games that you take on. At one point, I was carrying something along the line of 20 games at one time between the ACWGC, the CCC and the NWC, and that was a profound mistake. It turned out to be a major burnout, and I've not ever really recovered, even after ramping down my gameplay.
"Probably my favorite memory was meeting a number of the ACWGC guys at Tiller-cons 2 and 3. I was not in either of the MP games at those events, as I was involved in other things (at TC3, I was involved with helping people with Midway, as well as leading a section on it)."

_________________
General Jos. C. Meyer, ACWGC
Union Army Chief of Staff
Commander, Army of the Shenandoah
Commander, Army of the Tennessee
(2011-2014 UA CoA/GinC)


Image


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:33 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2001 12:13 am
Posts: 335
Location: USA
I'd like to thank all for the kind words, they do truly mean a great deal to me.

I'd like to once again say that this decision is not a reflection of the club in any way, but simply a matter of available time. I certainly will not rule out a return at some point, though I will not promise such either.

Be well all, even you no good lousy rebs :lol: !

_________________
Major General Gary McClellan
Reserve Artillery
2/XV AoT USA


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 8:07 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 22, 2001 4:51 pm
Posts: 3524
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Always great to see you, Gary.

MAYBE, you MIGHT show up at the next TILLERCON, if it does get going. I mean you DO have to take a vacation!! :D

_________________
General Ernie Sands
President ACWGC -Sept 2015- Dec 2020
7th Brigade, 1st Division, XVI Corps, AoT
ACWGC Records Site Admin

"If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there."


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 8:53 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 12:59 pm
Posts: 51
Location: Indiana, USA
Best wishes indeed, General McClellan. You have most certainly done the club, the Union Army, and yourself proud these past eleven years. [salute]

_________________
General Michael Osborne


Top
 Profile Send private message  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 82 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group