SIR:

It seems that somehow I managed to step on your toes. And rather than address me like a man, you chose to take your displeasure public at my expense.

"Typical of Kansans throughout history Mr. Drees would rather 'steal' a horse and ride west as fast as he can than to try negotiiating a trade."

And people wonder why "Yankees" such as myself pay little attention to the Confederate side of the war.

Mr. Morris, I am a serious researcher/writer of history. I have a bachelor's and a master's in history from Fort Hays State University--an excellent "Yankee" school! I am a veteran of the United States Army and saw action in Panama in 1989-90. I am accused by my father of "living, breathing and studying history" to the exclusion of almost anything else. Being descended from two Union soldiers, I have long been fascinated by the Civil War after growing up listening to my grandmother tell me stories of her grandfathers.

Mr. Morris, you published the website for the Secretary of State on this forum. You didn't tell me to keep a publlic source of records confidential. (Hmmm. I'm not actually sure that you can keep a public site confidential.) As for "horse trading," I e-mailed you directly after getting my e-mail fixed after a long series of delays and problems with it. I am always accused by my friends of being a poor "horse trader." I tend to give away everything that I have on a subject in exchange for a small item or two. So you would have (will?) gained the advantage over me.

I posted what I had found on the SOS site because I assumed that others on this site would appreciate knowing what is there on the "Red Legs" of Kansas. I did not know of your desire to keep your discoveries private. I, personally, don't believe much in privacy. As a trained historian, I see my purpose in life as being to discover historical knowledge and share it with as many people as possible before I die.

This "divide" between northern and southern researchers on the Civil War is stupid. How in the heck are we ever going to understand the open and complete truth about the war if we cannnot communicate and exchange information with each other in an open and honest way.

Mr. Morris, I am still willing to help you with your research goals in any way that I can. If you still want my help. If you choose to ignore me--I will live with that. If you want to continue to slur my integrity and ancestery--well, go to h.... No, wait! You already live in Missouri.

(Settle down, folks. Jeez! This is exactly what I mean by the gulf between "Rebs" and "Yanks." If we can't even joke about it, how the heck can we have a frank and open discussion.)

I am not good at keeping secrets, folks. Not when it pertains to history, anyway. I stand willing to help anyone, anytime, with a historical question if I can possibly add anything to their research. I have an entire disk of material on the "Red Legs" that I have gathered over several years. I'll post the entire thing on this website if people want me to and the website manager will permit it. To heck with secrecy.

Just call me an
"Honest Yank."
JAMES D. DREES