Hello Kathy. Yes I remember very well corresponding with you about my HESSES. As far as Steuben County goes and etc....I did get in touch with a descendant of Laura HESS of the A. Denis HESS/Catherine BOWER line. This same Laura named one of her children SIMON so we do believe this is indeed my own line. Other than that there isn't any true confirmation one hundred percent. In the online bio for my Albert Henry HESS it is stated he went into the 53rd Co. E on July 1, 1863....even though his military papers say otherwise. I have always theorized that he left the 135th in May of 1863 and then served on an unofficial status with the 53rd as a musician until his enlistment officially with them the following year. Who knows? And we will probably never know for sure. Good to hear from you and like you said maybe they DID fight together? God bless, Melissa __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail