My very dear wife...

Musicphile67

152002

2427

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78SOjurJkHk

July 14, 1861
Camp Clark, Washington

My very dear Sarah:

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days — perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall 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 strongly American Civilization now leans on the triumph of the Government and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings 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 could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly on with all these chains to the battle field.

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 for 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 together, and seen our sons grown 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 battle field, it will whisper your name. Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness …

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 gladdest days and in the darkest nights … always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again …

Sullivan Ballou was killed a week later at the First Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861.

http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/civil-war/war/historical-documents/sullivan-ballou-letter

civil_war

sullivan_ballou

history

Writingthiswhileonthwtoilet

Greg Giraldo did a great bit concerning letter from Civil War soldiers versus letters home from Iraq. Hilarious.

9 years ago |

ZombieZooZombieZoo

Ricdesan

The pinnacle of a man and humble humanity in the face of unknown this represents brings fierce pride to my heart to glimpse this purity.

argyles

Queue up Ashokan Farewell

Sgtstinkfinger

Based on my past experiences with Sarah's, she was probably too busy with the guy she told him not to worry about to read this.

Crazytrain77

That's some romantic shit right there.

MeatboyHungry

Everyone thought Bull Run was going to be a joke. Both sides. But we entered into Hell to extract the evil of slavery from our soul.

Ninja4859

Looks like a great orator or poet was lost in the first battle of Bull Run

Lav4486

Sometimes life is so weird. I watched this last night and spent like an hour after just learning about this guy/the letter. Today it's on fp

laDisparitionDesHeures

"And if you take another lover, I shall be there, watching, for the soft breeze you feel will be me, just as you would be, blowing."

rockshiv

bruh..

whosthatgirlitsvern

Well that's just incredibly heartrending. Thanks for sharing.

rossonerinho

Sigourney Weaver is old now.

WonderStruck25

@sarah this guy wrote you a love letter

bthighlander

Wow.

IAmJacksRagingBileDuct

In contrast, 2017: "lemme smash"

12345545545

There was Jackson standing like a stone wall.

Blanketstealer

My husband is leaving soon for a deployment. I want this letter. But I want him to come home more.

Goask

When we had to write it down, put it in an envelope, maybe never see it again, no chance to recall or delete....we thought before we spoke.

NihonJinLover

That's very insightful, never thought of it that way.

Absolutely spot on

gynonurseifixyourladybits

Beautifully put. I couldn't agree more.

sandstruk

Treybetrey

WKBetafiggit

Damm, people were so elocuent back in the day...

TripleKitten

Eloquent

Certainly more than me.

chefnoonecares

There's a song by Goodnight Texas, based on this letter that pretty good.

playingdead2022

some one should post more of these, hearing first hand from men and women would make what they are doing more understanding for those who1/2

2/2 not experienced it.

kgirl2601

JC there are onions everywhere.

pirate77x

Think of his education level and how beautifully written this is. No "lol" or emoji to be had.

Read about him here...It looks like he did have a good education, but I understand your point. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_Ballou

Wow, the power of the internet!

vahlas

The art of letter writing is lost to our generation it's now filled with emojis and other stupid acronyms.

StonesOnTheHill

We speak directly now. There is more time to think when letters take weeks to arrive, and answers are not expected in seconds.

Leithreas

Plenty of people write letters. They just don't end up online for you to see.

squidnib879

true that, nd and I have got a ton

bf*

Enfield303

I hope I can love someone as much as he loved his wife.

dumpmemesnotdreams

+1 even though this is technically a repost from 1861

370

ph0etus

this is one of the greatest comments i've read here!

Thanks man!!!!

MidlandRedux

Best meta-comment this campaign season.

AsthmaticSeal

Haha, the real OC

dietderpsy

@repoststatistics

abeardedblacksmith

I know a few words to describe that, but the foremost is "elegant." It shows a depth of thought that I don't believe I've ever experienced.

178

MrSg

This is what it was like to have only your thoughts to comfort, console, and distract.

BringMeAKnittingNeedle

Read more. It was the style of the era and it's delicious. So many books are available free in electronic format now.

InquisitorOctaviusoftheOrdoMalleus

The contemplation of a man who faces his own mortality

The writing of letters, to put your all in a statement which would not be answered for weeks or months or ever, is an art, like many (1/2)

Beautiful arts born from necessity, which is dying as our lives grow easier, and the long road home grows ever shorter. (2/2)

OverpricedCrayon

Well look at you trying to sound like a Civil War era soldier

ACanadianPerson

Run on sentence.

Have pity. When a poor incompetent like me is inspired by such wonderful writing, purple prose and pretentious wording is sadly unavoidable.

ClumsyBagOfSaltWater

"to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government" ~ Actual reason North fought war. (not to free slaves)

ehnayehn

This Government they fought to maintain decided to free slaves. So they were still fighting to later free slaves.

Promethianfire

That is correct. Also, "To maintain slavery" - actual reason the south seceded and fought against the North.

Yes. It was a reason and one often used in southern propaganda. But don't forget Emancipation Proclamation didn't free Northern slaves.

Jacxy

It is almost as though there were many and complex reasons for the war.

GilaMonsieur

Slavery, cultural division, economic competition, and control -- all intertwined.

But also slavery

Yes, but slavery was the key. If there's any doubt to that, one merely need look to the words of Alexander Stephens, VP of the CSA, who--

Lincoln agreed with that view of blacks, and wouldn't fight to end slavery even while he disliked it. So that does not make slavery the (1)

'key' to the war. If an unfaithful wife files for divorce and the husband beats her to stop her from leaving, would you say her cheating (1)

said of the new Confederate government, "It is based, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white--

man, that slavery, subordination to the superior race is his natural and moral condition." (from the "Cornerstone Speech")

Comments (171)