This week we focused on the topic of love letters during World War II. Aside from listening to several love letters in class, we also read many letters ourselves. One letter that particularly stood out to me was “My Very Dear Wife”, Major Sullivan Ballou’s last love letter to his wife, Sarah.

In this letter, he shared the inner conflict that he felt, as he was torn between commitment to his wife and children and to the Union cause. Ballou wrote, “… 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, nor that, when my last breath escapes me on the battle-field, it will whisper your name”. This line emphasizes how much he cared for Sarah, even while he was preparing for the possibility of his death.

Unfortunately, Ballou was killed shortly after sending this letter. His remains were mistakenly desecrated by Confederate soldiers, but were later returned to Rhode Island for a proper burial.

While this was written many years ago, this letter serves as a reminder of the deep sacrifices that soldiers make for their country. Whether they are on the battlefield or saying goodbye to their families and their loved ones, it is evident how much of their life they choose to sacrifice.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/-my-very-dear-wife-the-last-letter-of-major-sullivan-ballou.htm