OK, Edward, we know you'll stay out of trouble while getting that surgery. We await your return. Hooray for the Old North State; I'm a Tar Heel bred and a Tar Heel raised; but have been living in Alabama a long time. My wife is native of South Alabama, and when I met her dad for the first time, and told him where I was from, North Carolina, his exclamation was "Are you a damn Yankee?". Jim -------Original Message------- From: CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com Date: Sunday, August 03, 2003 11:48:49 AM To: CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [CIVIL-WAR] Soldier Records Hi Sharon, When you send for Service Records, they could contain only small amounts of information on soldiers or even a lot. The State of North Carolina actually kept the best and most detailed records on Confederate soldiers than any other Southern State. I'm really not sure about Union Records as I had no family fighting for the North. Things that may be included in the Service File are muster roll information, letters of promotion, requests for clothing or even hay and oats for horses, commendations received, and other things. There is no real personal information in the Service Files. If by chance there was a Pension filed for and it was approved, the Pension File will contain more personal information. I have the memoirs my German GG Grandfather wrote before his death, and it was so interesting to match up things from his Service Record to what he wrote about his time in the War. There were pay vouchers, muster roll records, requisitions for clothing, letters from officers trying to get him promoted, etc., and all seemed to match things he wrote of. I also got the Service Record of his brother in law, my GG Uncle who was Major of the NC 61st. It also contained most of the usual stuff, but also had some letters he had written and requests for clothing for his men, and trust me, he wasn't a happy camper asking for it. You just never really know what you'll get until you get it. By the way, if anyone is interested, I made a few websites in honor of some of my ancestors and their companies. Beaufort Plow Boys http://cob61stregncst.homestead.com/ Clark Skirmishers http://cok41stnct.homestead.com/ Washington Grays http://thewashingtongrays.homestead.com/ Thanks for the best wishes and I look forward to returning, and even then, I'm planning on staying out of trouble!!!!!! Best regards, Edward ==== CIVIL-WAR Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from list mode, email CIVIL-WAR-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com and in the text area of the message, type only the word unsubscribe .

Jim, thanks for the best wishes. I've always said I'm American First, but Southern by the Grace of God. And to that, I'll add "I'm Tarheel Born, and Tarheel Bred, and when I die, I'll be Tarheel Dead!" Edward