Sullivan Ballou (March 28, 1829 – July 29, 1861) was a lawyer and politician sent to war by President Lincoln, he called on the people States loyal to the Union. During the war, he sent a letter. The letter, dated July 14, 1861, was written to his wife Sarah, shortly before his death at Bull Run. He was hit by a six-pounder cannonball
The letter reads:
My Very Dear Wife
Again, I feel compelled to write a few lines that might catch your eye when I'm gone.
Sarah, my love for you is immortal. And in God's will, burn to ashes the hopes of the years to come that we should have lived and loved. But oh Sarah, when the dead come back to this earth so they can fly unseen around the people they loved, I'll always be there. Wait for me as if I'm gone, 'cause I'll see you again.