240:
510:
together and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine
Providence, but something whispers to me—perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar—that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.
498:
the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly
American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing—perfectly willing—to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt.
25:
133:
524:
As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father's love and care. Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue-eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood. Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care and
497:
Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure—and it may be one of severe conflict and death to me. Not my will, but thine O God, be done. If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in,
479:
Ballou's now-famous letter to his beloved 24-year-old wife, Sarah, endeavored to express the emotions he was feeling on the eve of battle against the
Confederacy: worry, fear, guilt, and sadness, while at the same time conveying his undying love for her and his children and his desire to fulfil his
444:
which tore off part of his right leg and killed his horse. He was carried off the field, and the remainder of his leg was amputated in a makeshift hospital at Sudley Church, Manassas. However, after the Union Army was defeated in battle and forced to retreat back to
Washington, Ballou and the other
513:
Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm. But I cannot. I
501:
But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows—when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little children—is it weak or
509:
The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when God willing, we might still have lived and loved
517:
But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the brightest day and in the darkest night—amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours—always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my
644:
505:
Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but
Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.
452:
The battle area was occupied by
Confederate forces, and Ballou's body was allegedly exhumed, decapitated, and burned by Confederate troops; his body was never recovered. In place of his body, some charred ash and bone from Sudley were reburied in
641:
894:
448:
Ballou died from his injuries a week later and was buried in Sudley Church's graveyard. He was one of 94 men of the 2nd Rhode Island killed or mortally wounded at Bull Run. He was 32 at the time of his death; his wife Sarah was 24.
502:
dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country.
493:
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days—perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.
879:
889:
884:
525:
your development of their characters. Tell my two mothers his and hers I call God's blessing upon them. O Sarah, I wait for you there! Come to me, and lead thither my children.
413:
After training at Camp Clark in
Washington D.C., the 2nd Rhode Island had joined the Union Army of Northeastern Virginia by July 1861. On July 21, the regiment took part in the
924:
514:
must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.
538:
The letter, which was probably never mailed, was said to have been found in Ballou's trunk after he died. It was reclaimed and personally delivered to Ballou's widow by the
904:
869:
859:
460:
Sarah Ballou never remarried. She later moved to New Jersey to live with her son, William. She died aged 82 in 1917; she is buried next to her husband.
929:
864:
356:
400:
539:
108:
407:
919:
909:
364:
42:
914:
616:
89:
46:
61:
387:
to provide 75,000 militia troops. Ballou promptly volunteered, and encouraged others to do the same. He was commissioned a
934:
899:
338:
874:
68:
546:, after the governor had personally gone to Virginia a year later to reclaim effects of dead Rhode Island soldiers.
810:
384:
301:. He is remembered for an eloquent letter he wrote to his wife Sarah a week before he was mortally wounded in the
198:
35:
595:
quest "Sully Balloo's Letter" for the
Alliance faction. The letter must be delivered to his widow, Sara Balloo.
563:
438:
392:
253:
75:
414:
318:
302:
268:
203:
187:
155:
583:
434:
57:
355:
Ballou was active in public affairs. In 1854, soon after beginning his law practice, he was elected to the
388:
243:
854:
849:
454:
183:
739:
543:
473:
418:
360:
342:
298:
263:
220:
172:
239:
766:
591:
469:
352:
Ballou married Sarah Hart
Shumway on October 15, 1855. They had two sons, Edgar and William.
82:
576:
559:
422:
330:
326:
272:
718:
289:(March 28, 1829 – July 29, 1861) was an American lawyer and politician from
652:
648:
368:
322:
313:
Ballou was born the son of Hiram (1802–1833) and
Emeline (Bowen) Ballou, a distinguished
421:. The 2nd Rhode Island Infantry were in the Second Brigade under the command of Colonel
521:
Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for me, for we shall meet again.
671:
518:
breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.
321:. He lost his father at a young age. In spite of this, he attended boarding school at
843:
719:"Sullivan Ballou's Body: Battlefield Relic Hunting and the Fate of Soldiers' Remains"
568:
403:
829:
290:
305:. He was left behind by retreating Union forces and died a week after the battle.
425:
and were part of the Second Division in the Union Army of Northeastern Virginia.
380:
24:
834:
804:
441:
294:
215:
132:
835:
Text of the letter set to music by John Kander, sung by soprano Renée Fleming
695:
683:
582:
The letter is also the inspiration for the song "Dearest Sarah" by the band
572:
555:
346:
334:
825:
770:
783:
314:
396:
329:
in Andover, Massachusetts. After graduation from Phillips, he attended
895:
Republican Party members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
383:
in April 1861, President Lincoln called on the States loyal to the
617:"Sullivan Ballou: The Macabre Fate of an American Civil War Major"
656:
806:
Sullivan Ballou Letter read by Paul Roebling / Ashokan Farewell
18:
880:
Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War
395:
Regiment. He was third in command of the Regiment, after
359:. He was chosen as Clerk of the House, and later as the
786:. Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division
890:
Speakers of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
259:
249:
234:
226:
209:
194:
178:
162:
142:
123:
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
885:People of Rhode Island in the American Civil War
482:
468:"Dear Sarah" redirects here. For the film, see
764:. Providence Press Company: Providence. 1868.
762:Brown University in the Civil War. A Memorial
8:
349:in Rhode Island and began practice in 1853.
925:People from Providence County, Rhode Island
589:The letter was the inspiration for the MMO
417:, which was the first major battle of the
131:
120:
610:
608:
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
567:, where an abridged version was read by
437:attack at Bull Run, Ballou was hit by a
604:
554:The letter was featured prominently in
667:
665:
357:Rhode Island House of Representatives
7:
905:State and National Law School alumni
870:19th-century American letter writers
47:adding citations to reliable sources
740:"A History of Swan Point Cemetery"
337:, and went on to study law at the
14:
860:19th-century American legislators
698:. Sudley United Methodist Church
684:Combined Military Service Record
615:Jones, Evan C. (November 2004).
238:
23:
655:, July 8, 2001. Transcribed at
34:needs additional citations for
930:Burials at Swan Point Cemetery
472:. For the Swedish singer, see
325:in Dudley, Massachusetts, and
1:
865:19th-century American lawyers
480:sense of duty to his nation.
457:in Providence, Rhode Island.
410:of the Rhode Island militia.
137:Lithograph of Sullivan Ballou
659:. Accessed October 20, 2006.
672:The Sullivan Ballou letter.
333:, where he was a member of
951:
696:"History of Sudley Church"
467:
445:wounded were left behind.
393:2nd Rhode Island Infantry
379:After the bombardment of
254:2nd Rhode Island Infantry
130:
784:"Sullivan Ballou Papers"
415:First Battle of Bull Run
406:. He was also appointed
319:Smithfield, Rhode Island
303:First Battle of Bull Run
293:, and an officer in the
269:First Battle of Bull Run
204:United States of America
188:Providence, Rhode Island
156:Smithfield, Rhode Island
920:Phillips Academy alumni
910:Brown University alumni
173:Sudley Church, Virginia
915:Nichols College alumni
536:
742:. Swan Point Cemetery
558:' 1990 award-winning
227:Years of service
935:Deaths by cannonball
900:Rhode Island lawyers
490:My very dear Sarah:
484:July the 14th, 1861
43:improve this article
875:Union Army officers
717:Broomall, James J.
621:America's Civil War
455:Swan Point Cemetery
363:. He was a staunch
347:admitted to the bar
339:National Law School
184:Swan Point Cemetery
647:2012-10-08 at the
575:'s musical piece "
571:in a pairing with
474:Dear Sara (singer)
419:American Civil War
401:Lieutenant Colonel
343:Ballston, New York
299:American Civil War
264:American Civil War
221:United States Army
125:Sullivan A. Ballou
16:Union Army officer
592:World of Warcraft
542:of Rhode Island,
470:Dear Sarah (film)
367:and supporter of
284:
283:
119:
118:
111:
93:
58:"Sullivan Ballou"
942:
813:
807:
802:
796:
795:
793:
791:
780:
774:
765:
758:
752:
751:
749:
747:
736:
730:
729:
727:
725:
714:
708:
707:
705:
703:
692:
686:
681:
675:
669:
660:
642:Dispatch Delayed
638:
632:
631:
629:
628:
612:
584:Goodnight, Texas
577:Ashokan Farewell
487:Washington D.C.
423:Ambrose Burnside
399:John Slocum and
331:Brown University
327:Phillips Academy
277:
242:
211:
169:
152:
150:
135:
121:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
950:
949:
945:
944:
943:
941:
940:
939:
840:
839:
826:Sullivan Ballou
822:
817:
816:
805:
803:
799:
789:
787:
782:
781:
777:
760:
759:
755:
745:
743:
738:
737:
733:
723:
721:
716:
715:
711:
701:
699:
694:
693:
689:
682:
678:
670:
663:
653:Washington Post
649:Wayback Machine
639:
635:
626:
624:
623:. TheHistoryNet
614:
613:
606:
601:
552:
544:William Sprague
477:
466:
431:
377:
369:Abraham Lincoln
323:Nichols Academy
311:
287:Sullivan Ballou
273:
219:
202:
190:
171:
167:
154:
148:
146:
138:
126:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
948:
946:
938:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
842:
841:
838:
837:
832:
821:
820:External links
818:
815:
814:
797:
775:
753:
731:
709:
687:
676:
661:
633:
603:
602:
600:
597:
551:
548:
535:
534:
533:
532:
465:
462:
430:
427:
408:judge advocate
376:
373:
310:
307:
282:
281:
280:
279:
261:
257:
256:
251:
247:
246:
236:
232:
231:
228:
224:
223:
213:
207:
206:
196:
192:
191:
182:
180:
176:
175:
170:(aged 32)
164:
160:
159:
153:March 28, 1829
144:
140:
139:
136:
128:
127:
124:
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
947:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
847:
845:
836:
833:
831:
827:
824:
823:
819:
812:
808:
801:
798:
785:
779:
776:
772:
768:
763:
757:
754:
741:
735:
732:
720:
713:
710:
697:
691:
688:
685:
680:
677:
673:
668:
666:
662:
658:
654:
650:
646:
643:
637:
634:
622:
618:
611:
609:
605:
598:
596:
594:
593:
587:
585:
580:
578:
574:
570:
569:Paul Roebling
566:
565:
564:The Civil War
561:
557:
549:
547:
545:
541:
530:
529:
528:
527:
526:
522:
519:
515:
511:
507:
503:
499:
495:
491:
488:
485:
481:
475:
471:
463:
461:
458:
456:
450:
446:
443:
440:
436:
428:
426:
424:
420:
416:
411:
409:
405:
404:Frank Wheaton
402:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
374:
372:
370:
366:
362:
358:
353:
350:
348:
344:
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
308:
306:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
278:
276:
270:
267:
266:
265:
262:
258:
255:
252:
248:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
222:
217:
214:
208:
205:
200:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
174:
166:July 29, 1861
165:
161:
157:
145:
141:
134:
129:
122:
113:
110:
102:
99:December 2017
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
830:Find a Grave
800:
788:. Retrieved
778:
761:
756:
744:. Retrieved
734:
724:November 24,
722:. Retrieved
712:
700:. Retrieved
690:
679:
636:
625:. Retrieved
620:
590:
588:
581:
562:
553:
537:
523:
520:
516:
512:
508:
504:
500:
496:
492:
489:
486:
483:
478:
459:
451:
447:
432:
412:
378:
354:
351:
312:
291:Rhode Island
286:
285:
274:
260:Battles/wars
168:(1861-07-29)
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
855:1861 deaths
850:1829 births
560:documentary
439:six-pounder
435:Confederate
381:Fort Sumter
297:during the
844:Categories
657:bessel.org
627:2015-08-30
599:References
442:cannonball
365:Republican
317:family in
309:Early life
295:Union Army
216:Union Army
195:Allegiance
149:1829-03-28
69:newspapers
771:457190959
746:March 26,
573:Jay Ungar
556:Ken Burns
433:During a
375:Civil War
345:. He was
335:Delta Phi
645:Archived
540:Governor
531:Sullivan
315:Huguenot
250:Commands
210:Service/
811:YouTube
790:22 July
702:22 July
397:Colonel
391:in the
361:Speaker
275:†
218:of the
201:of the
83:scholar
769:
674:(2002)
464:Letter
271:
212:branch
179:Buried
158:, U.S.
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
550:Media
429:Death
389:major
385:Union
341:, in
244:Major
199:Union
90:JSTOR
76:books
792:2022
767:OCLC
748:2014
726:2021
704:2022
235:Rank
230:1861
163:Died
143:Born
62:news
828:at
809:on
651:",
579:".
45:by
846::
664:^
619:.
607:^
586:.
371:.
186:,
794:.
773:.
750:.
728:.
706:.
640:"
630:.
476:.
151:)
147:(
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
