"And I get a little perturbed when people react with shock and horror at finding a "Yankee in the woodpile" among their ancestors. Unless that Yankee left a written document explaining his motives, people have no business trying to pass judgment on him."

A couple of years ago I went shaking the family records that I had access to in order to find a Yankee ... When one finally fell out (Sergeant William T. Baskin of the 4th Arkansas (U.S.)) it didn't hurt and shock so much to find out there was a Yankee as it did to find out that not only was he a yankee, but he was a cavalryman ;-)

Then I find the missing link to my father's side, and found that I had been looking in the wrong state... the folks were up in White County, Illinois and Posey County, Indiana, so lots more of the Sucker regimental rolls to start perusing...

Tom