The Civil War list is set up to autoreply to the list, as Dennis indicates, to insure the thread is visible to all. Of course one can easily direct an answer to one individual address, if the answer is not meant for the list. The guidelines for the list can be found at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mruddy/guidline.htm Their are pluses and minuses to each method of reply. This list is a survivor of Indiana University's Maiser Server Crash a few years ago and was kindly picked up by Rootsweb when Indiana U was forced to eliminate its free genealogy lists after a SPAM attack. Although, like many ofyou, I detest advertising splattered all over the place, neither am I willing to spend the money required to maintain a server and the software required to produce an ad-free list. Subscribed to this list are a lot of people willing to do free lookups and help others new to Civil War genealogy and so far as I can tell, as long as we keep the more strident wavers of the bloody shirt somewhat sedated, the list is serves its intended purpose. Subscription lists are an information exchange format for those who, voluntarily wish to participate. Every rule, no matter how well-intensioned, that restricts the information exchange is likely to exasperate or befuddle those who help and those who need help. So far I have relied on my inate belief that the majority of people are pleasant and willing to share information and, if required, will respond to constructive criticism. It is rare that when a reasonable request is made by the list owner, it not be adhered to. At some point the list owner can (the force is with him) whiff a would-be Darth Vader off the list. The are only a couple of instances where this became necessary during the many years of this list. The best tool I have is endless verbosity which eventually wears down even the most fanatical adherent of this or that cause and eventually the list subsides once again into doing what it does best. Sometimes, as now, it also helps one's sanity to leaf through baptismal records in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico sipping a Piña Colada under a palm tree......... Best wishes to all for 2004 and for those of you stuck out on some genealogical limb, may I paraphase a recent president: Mr. Civil War List, tear down that wall! Mike Ruddy List maintenance Civil War

Mike,...very well said,...I hope you also write books, magazine articles, whatever. You have a wonderful way with presenting words, phrases. I especially liked " strident", "bloody shirts", "somewhat sedated", and "stuck out on some genealogical limb"! Anyway, thanks for "minding the list". Jeannette