Sullivan Ballou's Letter to Sarah

http://www.erickinkel.com/SullivanBallou_letter_2.htm

I am posting this 'Letter to Sarah' as it is a personal source of pride of country, love of family, and an optimism we all long for as it applies to the slings and arrows exchanged in this forum family. I will occasionally listen to it if my own spirits are waning and it always provides an uplift to my own mood. We spend endless hours exchanging views that sometimes become over the line and this is so inspirational to me I decided to post to see what others felt.

It is very short but . . . . . amazing.

A powerful letter. I remember visiting Custer's last stand, and in the museum they had letters from foot soldiers. Their writing ability was excellent for the education they had received. Letters are often powerful, and lost in our modern world of instant communication. This forum maintains a traditional method of exchanging ideas and concepts, and we can only hope to capture the spirit of the letter you have posted.

2seaoat wrote:A powerful letter. I remember visiting Custer's last stand, and in the museum they had letters from foot soldiers. Their writing ability was excellent for the education they had received. Letters are often powerful, and lost in our modern world of instant communication. This forum maintains a traditional method of exchanging ideas and concepts, and we can only hope to capture the spirit of the letter you have posted.

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My own idealistic view but I too hope it inspires others . . . . . thanks Mr. Oats!

That was a beautiful letter. It doesn't say if she ever got it.

Dreams, this is what I found regarding your question as to whether the letter was ever delivered. She never remarried.

The letter may never have been mailed; it was found in Ballou's trunk after he died.[4] It was reclaimed and delivered to Ballou's widow by Governor William Sprague, either after Sprague had traveled to Virginia to reclaim the effects of dead Rhode Island soldiers, or from Camp Sprague in Washington, D.C. comment.