Most beautiful letter ever. A week before the battle of Bull Run, Sullivan Ballou, a major in the 2end Rhode Island Volunteers, wrote home to his wife in Smithfield. July 14,1861 Camp Clark, Wasington DC Dear Sarah: The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days-perhaps tomorrow. And lest I should not be able to write you again I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when i may be no more. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which i am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how 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. Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but omnipotence can break: and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield. The memory of all the blissful moments I have enjoyed with you come crowding over me, and I feel most deeply gratful to God and you, that I have enjoyed them for so long. And how hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes and future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and see our boys grown up to honorable manhood around us. If I do not return, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, nor that when my last breath escapes me on the battle field, it will wisper your name.... Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless, how foolish I have sometimes been!... But, Oh Sarah, if the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they love, I shall always be with you, in the brighest day and in the darkest night... always Sarah, always. And when the soft breeze fans your check, it shall be my breath , or the cool air your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for me, for we shall meet again... Good Bye my love, i hold you in my heart forever. Sullivan Ballou was killed a week later at the battle of Bull Run......
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Thats so beautiful and so sad! Love is the greatest thing in the world, and its brilliant love like this exsists and I know it does as I love someone like that, even though no-one believes I can becuase of my young age! And I think he\'s feels the same way!
That letter is so inspirational!
Yes, it\'s a beautiful letter. If it\'s real, it was written by a very young teen that\'s never been hurt. Love like that does exist but only with the very young people who haven\'t been hurt yet. I remember being in love like that once; then I grew up.
That letter was beautiful. My dad loves my mom this way, and she loves him this much also. (My parents have both been hurt in love before they found each other) This is the kind of love I wish for, I wait for. Maybe someday I will have the courage to leave my husband (read my page on why), and I will find a love as true and undying as this. This letter, although very old, gives me hope. Thank you for posting it :-)
i dated a guy-mike. we broke up the end of 2006. he is now in iraq. i thank god i still have him. he has saved me in many ways already. i like this letter. to sum up what i think about it: for something to be real, you have to believe in it. i do.
So I just totally cried my eyes out!!! I lost it when he said his last breath and wisper would be her name!!! I do still believe that love like that still exists. I think its hard to find, but I believe there are people out there that still do love like that. I hope I find that again one day!
This is incredible!! THe laungage is correct for the period, and it\'s tone is one of deep, neverending love. Excellent story. Grateful, needs an \"e\", and on the last sentence of the story, there is an \"i\" that needs to be capitalized, but everything else is simply, absolutely gorgeous!! How heartwrenching that last sentence is, to know that he wrote, hoping to live and still,was killed. But at least sarah knows that he is with her. What incredible love. I can only hope to experience that myself one day.
That letter was wonderful.I love the way they spoke back then. Whith so much feeling and sincerity. I am loved, but im afraid, not like that. Love like that seems to be only in books and letters it seems. I wish everyone would be loved like that.
I have two brothers in the Iraqi war right now and even tho I would like them to come home I can proudly say they would give their life for their country. That was a beautiful letter.Thank you for sharing it.
ONE THING TO SAY: This is what love is suppose to be like!!!:)
Thank you for sharing this with me, dear one. This is beautifully touching. I have too much to say on the matter, so I\'m going to write you a message with the rest of my comments!! But thank you, thank you. *hug*
this was a very moving story, warmheart. you are very talented in your writing. and it was heart felt. I am proud of you...and it shows us all how deep your heart is. how you can express yourself inside and what is really there behind the jokes. a deep feeling person.. loving, and wanting to love. with what is going on in the world today; war everywhere overseas... so many soldiers dying and leaving behind a woman who will never be the same again. Oh to be loved like that. it is good for us to read this as a reminder of all that has been and is now, and will be in the battles to come. there are people dying, and people left behind to mourn. I love you. you are my heart. nancy
thats a very sweet letter. the line that says \"I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which i am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter.\" should be how i approach things